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IX. LUTHER'S VIEWS OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS.

FROM THE GERMAN OF KARL VON RAUMER.

IF Melancthon obtained the name "Præceptor Germaniæ," inasmuch as he was a most consummate scholar, and, at the same time, the intellectual leader, especially of the literary class of his countrymen, then Luther should be called the pastor of his people, who, with a strong faith and an active love, watched, labored, and prayed that all his beloved Germans, small and great, might be led, by means of pious discipline and sound learning, to walk humbly before God.

In Luther's writings, we find much on the subject of education, both in sermons, expositions of scripture, letters, and the table-talk; and some of his works treat of this theme exclusively. He appeals, now to parents, now to magistrates, and now to teachers,―urges them, each and all, in the most pressing manner, to interest themselves in children, while, at the same time, he lays before them blessings and curses, blessings on right training, and curses on neglect. And withal, he presents the most admirable doctrines, on the nature of discipline, the knowledge suitable for children, the best manner of imparting it, etc.

The following extracts from Luther's works, express his views, both upon the training and the instruction of the young.

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Luther saw that good family government was the sole foundation of good civil government and of continued national prosperity. In his exposition of Exodus 20: 12., he says:

We have now explained, at sufficient length, how father and mother are to be honored, and what this commandment includes and teaches, and have shown of what vast consequence it is in the sight of God, that this obedience toward father and mother should become universal. Where this is not the case, you will find neither good manners nor a good government. For, where obedience is not maintained at the fire-side, no power on earth can insure to the city, territory, principality, or kingdom the blessings of a good government; and it is there that all governments and dominions originate. If now the root is corrupt, it is in vain that you look for a sound tree, or for good fruit.

For what is a city, but an assemblage of households? How then is a whole city to be wisely governed, when there is no subordination in its several households, yea, when neither child, maid-servant, nor man-servant submit to authority? Again, a territory: what is it, other than an assemblage of cities, markettowns and villages? Where, now, the households are lawless or mis-governed, how can the whole territory be well-governed? yea, nothing else will appear, from one end of it to the other, but tyranny, witchcraft, murders, robberies and disobedience to every law. Now, a principality is a group of territories, or counties; a kingdom, a group of principalities; and an empire, a group of

kingdoms. Thus, the whole wide organization of an empire is all woven out of single households. Wherever, then, fathers and mothers slack the reins of family government, and leave children to follow their own headstrong courses, there it is impossible for either city, market-town or village, either territory, principality, kingdom or empire, to enjoy the fruits of a wise and peaceful government. For the son, when grown up, becomes a father, a judge, a mayor, a prince, a king, an emperor, a preacher, a schoolmaster, etc. And, if he has been brought up without restraint, then will the subjects become like their ruler, the members like their head.

For this cause, God has established it as a matter of irrevocable necessity, that men should by all means rule over their own households.

For where family government is well-ordered and judicious, all other forms of government go on prosperously. And the reason is, as we have seen, that the whole human race proceeds from the family. For it has pleased God so to ordain, from the beginning, that from father and mother, all mankind should forever derive their being.

The duties of parents to their children Luther dwells upon, in his exposition of the fifth commandment.

Now let us see what parents owe to their children, if they would be parents in the truest sense. St. Paul in Eph. 6: 1,-when commanding children to honor their parents, and setting forth the excellence of this commandment, and its reasonableness, says, "children, obey your parents in the Lord." Here he intimates that parents should not be such after the flesh merely, as it is with the heathen, but in the Lord. And, that children may be obedient to their parents in the Lord, he adds this caution to parents, directly afterward in the fourth verse: 66 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath," lest they be discouraged; "but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." The first and foremost care that he here enjoins upon parents with reference to their children, in what pertains to the mind and heart, (for of the nurture of the body he does not speak here at all,) is, that they provoke them not to wrath and discouragement. This is a rebuke to such as display a violent and impetuous temper in the management of their children. For, under such an evil discipline, their disposition, while yet tender and impressible, become permanently clouded with fear and diffidence; and so there grows up in their breasts a hatred toward their parents, in so far that they run away from them, and pursue a course that otherwise they never would have entered upon. And, in truth, what hope is there of a child, who exercises hatred and mistrust toward his parents, and is ever downcast in their presence? Nevertheless St. Paul in this passage does not intend to forbid parents altogether from being angry with their children and chastening them; but rather, that they punish them in love, when punishment is necessary; not, as some do, in a passionate spirit, and without bestowing a thought upon their improvement.

A child, who has once become timid, sullen and dejected in spirit, loses all his self-reliance, and becomes utterly unfitted for the duties of life; and fears rise up in his path, so often as any thing comes up for him to do, or to undertake. But this is not all;-for, where such a spirit of fear obtains the mastery over a man in his childhood, he will hardly be able to rid himself of it to the end of his days. For, if children are accustomed to tremble at every word spoken by their father or mother, they will start and quake forever after, even at the rustling of a leaf. Neither should those women who are employed to attend upon children, ever be allowed to frighten them with their tricks and mummeries, and, above all, never in the night-time. But parents ought much rather to aim at that sort of education for their children, that would inspire them with a wholesome fear; a fear of those things that they ought to fear, and not of those which only make them cowardly, and so inflict a lasting injury upon them. Thus parents go too far to the left. Now let us consider how they are led too far to the right.

St. Paul teaches, further, that children should be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; that is, that they should be instructed respecting that which they ought to know, and should be chastised when they do not hold to the doctrine. For instance, they need both that you teach them that which they do not know of God, and also that you punish them when they will not

retain this knowledge. Wherefore, see to it, that you cause your children first to be instructed in spiritual things,—that you point them first to God, and, after that, to the world. But in these days, this order, sad to say, is inverted. And it is not to be wondered at; for parents themselves have not learned by their own experience what is this admonition of the Lord, nor do they know much about it from hearsay. Still we had hoped that schoolmasters would remedy this evil,-that in school, at least, children would learn something good, and there have the fear of God implanted in their hearts. But this hope, too, has come to nought. All nations, the Jews especially, keep their children at school more faithfully than Christians. And this is one reason why Christianity is so fallen. For all its hopes of strength and potency are ever committed to the generation that is coming on to the stage; and, if this is neglected in its youth, it fares with Christianity as with a garden that is neglected in the spring time. For this reason children must be taught the doctrine of God. But this is the doctrine of God, which you must teach your children,—namely, to know our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep ever fresh in their remembrance how he has suffered for our sakes, what he has done, and what commanded. So the children of Israel were commanded of God to show to their children, and to the generation to come, the marvelous things which he did in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt.-Psalm 78: 4, 12. And when they have learned all this, but nevertheless do not love God, nor acknowledge their obligations to him in grateful prayer, nor imitate Christ,-then you should lay before them the admonition of the Lord; that is, present to their view the terrible judgments of God, and his anger at the wicked. If a child, from his youth up, learns these things, namely, Gods mercies and promises, which will lead him to love God, and his judgments and warnings, which will lead him to fear God,―then, hereafter, when he shall be old, this knowledge will not depart from him.

For God calls upon men to honor him in two ways; namely, to love him as a father, for the benefits which he has rendered, is now rendering, and ever will render toward us; and to fear him as a judge, for the punishments which he has inflicted, and which he will inflict upon the wicked. Hear what he speaks by the mouth of the prophet Malachi, 1: 6, "If then I be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear?" Therefore, the children of God should learn to sing of mercy and judgment.-Ps. 101: 1. And St. Paul intends to convey this two-fold meaning, when he says that children should be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It belongs to nurture, to tell your children how God has created all things, and how he has given them their senses, their life, and their soul, and is daily providing them with the good things of his creation. Again, how he has suffered for us all, worked miracles, preached to us, and how he has promised yet greater things. And with all this you should exhort them to be grateful to God, to acknowledge his providence, and to love him as a father. It belongs to admonition, that you tell them how God, aforetime, smote with great plagues the Egyptians, the heathen, the inhabitants of Sodom, the children of Israel, yea, all men in Adam; again, how he is now daily smiting many with pestilence, the sword, the gallows, water, fire, wild beasts, and all manner of diseases, and how he menaces the wicked with future punishment.

This admonition God requires us to make much more prominent to our children than that of men, or human penalties. And this, not without reason; for thus they will be taught always to look out of themselves, and up to God, and to fear not men, but God. For, should they be accustomed to fear their parents alone, it will finally come to pass that, even in respect to things which are pleasing to God, that they will fear the opinions of men, and so will become vacillating and cowardly. On this account children should be educated alone, not to fear their parents, but to feel that God will be angry with them if they do not fear their parents. So will they not be faint-hearted, but courageous, and, should they be deprived of their parents, they will not depart from God, either while good betides them, or when evil days come upon them; for they have learned with the fear of God to fear their parents, and not through their fear of their parents to stand in awe of God.

But what an acceptable sacrifice it is to God, to bring up children thus, we perceive in Genesis, 18: 19, where it is said that God could not hide from Abraham what he was about to do, and that, for this reason; "for I know him," God

said, "that he will command his children, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." Do you not see that God herein indicates that the knowledge of the doom, which was to come upon Sodom, would prove to the pious Abraham a strong motive to lead him to bring up his children in the fear of the Lord? So Jonadab, a father among the Rechabites, was gloriously extolled and blessed in his children; and that, because he had brought them up in a pious and godly manner, in the fear of the Lord. In such a manner were Tobias, Joachim and Susanna brought up. On the other hand, the judgment pronounced against Eli, because he restrained not his sons, stands forever to warn us in 1 Sam., 3: 13.

II. BAD TRAINING.

Luther points out the consequences of the bad training of children in the following paragraphs:

Are we not fools? See, we have the power to place heaven or hell within reach of our children, and yet we give ourselves no concern about the matter! For what does it profit you, if you are ever so pious for yourself, and yet neglect the education of your children? Some there are, who serve God with an extreme intensity of devotion,-they fast, they wear coarse garments, and are assiduous in such like exercises for themselves; but the true service of God in their families, namely, the training up their children aright,-this they pass blindly by, even as the Jews of old forsook God's temple, and offered sacrifice upon the high places. Whence, it becomes you first to ponder upon what God requires of you, and upon the office that he has laid upon you; as St. Paul spake in 1 Cor., 7: 20.-"Let every man abide in the same calling, wherein he was called." Believe me, it is much more necessary for you to take diligent heed how you may train up your children well, than to purchase indulgences, to make long prayers, to go on pilgrimages to distant shrines, or to impose numerous vows upon yourselves.

Thus, fathers and mothers, ye see, what course it is your duty to adopt toward your children, so that you may be parents indeed, and worthy of the name; wherefore, be circumspect, lest you destroy yourselves, and your children with you. But those destroy their children, who knowingly neglect them, and suffer them to grow up without the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and though they do not themselves set them a bad example, yet they indulge them overmuch, out of an excess of natural affection, and so destroy them. "But" they say, "these are mere children; they neither know nor understand!" That may be; but look at the dog, the horse, or the ass; they have neither reason nor judgment, and yet we train them to follow our bidding, to come or go, to do or to leave undone, at our pleasure. Neither does a block of wood or of stone know whether it will or will not fit into the building, but the master-workman brings it to shape; how much more then a man! Or will you have it that other people's children may be able to learn what is right, but that yours are not? They who are so exceedingly scrupulous and tender, will have their children's sins to bear, precisely as if these sins were their own.

There are others who destroy their children by using foul language and oaths in their presence, or by a corrupt demeanor and example. I have even known some, and, would God there were no more of them, who have sold their daughters or their wives for hire, and made their living thus out of the wages of unchastity. And truly, murderers, beyond all question, do better for their daughters than such parents. There are some who are exceedingly well pleased if their sons betray a fierce and warlike spirit, and are ever ready to give blows, as though it were a great merit in them to show no fear of any one. Such parents are quite likely in the end to pay dear for their folly, and to experience sorrow and anguish, when their sons, as often happens in such cases, are suddenly cut off; nor, in this event, can they justly complain. Again, children are sufficiently inclined to give way to anger and evil passions, and hence it behooves parents to remove temptation from them, as far as possible, by a well-guarded example in themselves, both in words and in actions. For what can the child of a man, whose language is habitually vile and profane, be expected to learn, unless it be the like vileness and profanity?

Others again destroy their children by inducing them to set their affections on the world, by taking no thought for them further than to see that they

cultivate graceful manners, dress finely, dance and sing, and all this, to be admired, and to make conquests; for this is the way of the world. In our day, there are but few who are chiefly solicitous to procure their children an abundant supply of those things that pertain to God, and to the interests of the soul; for, the most strive to insure them wealth and splendor, honor and pleasure.

Thus Luther censures a rough, passionate severity in parents, as well as a spirit of indulgence; and wisely commends to them to inspire their children with a dread, rather of God's displeasure than of human penalties, to chasten them betimes, etc.

Of the like import are his reflections when commenting on 1 John, 2: 14.

There is that in the nature of young children, which exults, when the reins of discipline are slackened. Nor is the case otherwise with youth, and if they are held in, even with so firm a hand that they can not break away, nevertheless they will murmur. The right of fathers over their children is derived from God; he is, in truth, the Father of all, "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."-Eph. 3: 15. Wherefore, the authority of earthly fathers over their children should not be exercised in a hard and unfriendly manner. He who gov

erns in anger only adds fuel to the fire. And, if fathers and masters on earth do not acknowledge God, he so orders it that both children and servants shall disappoint their hopes. Experience, too, shows us abundantly, that far more can be accomplished by love, than by slavish fear and constraint. But it is the duty of children to learn the fear of God first of all; then, to love those who labor for their improvement. The fear of God should never depart from them; for, if they put it away, they become totally unfit to serve God or man. Correction, too, which includes both reproof and chastisement, saves the soul of the child from the endless punishment of hell. Let not the father spare the rod, but let him remember that the work of training up children is an honor which comes from God; yea, if they turn out well, let him give God the glory. Whoso does not know to do this, hates his children and his household, and walks in darkness. For parents, who love their children blindly, and leave them to their own courses, do no better in the end than if they had hated them. And the ruin of children almost invariably lies at the door of parents, and it commonly ensues from one of these two causes; namely, either from undue lenity and foolish fondness, or from unbending severity, and an irritable spirit. Both these extremes are attended with great hazard, and both should be shunned alike.

Against indulging children Luther likewise inveighs, in a sermon on the married state.

There is no greater obstacle in the way of Christianity than neglect in the training of the young. If we would re-instate Christianity in its former glory, we must improve and elevate the children, as it was done in the days of old. But, alas! parents are blinded by the delusiveness of natural affection, so that they have come to regard the bodies of their children more than their souls. On this point hear the words of the wise man; Prov. 13: 24.-"He that spareth the rod, hateth his son; but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes." Again, 22: 15.-" Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Again, Prov. 23: 14.-"Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

"Wherefore it is the chief duty of the father of a family, to bestow more, greater, and more constant care upon the soul of his child than upon his body; for, this is his own flesh, but the soul is a precious immortal jewel, which God has intrusted to his keeping, and which he must not suffer either the world, the flesh or the devil to steal or to destroy. And a strict account of his charge will be required of him at death and the judgment. For whence, think you, shall come the

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