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 THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 13

Decius is also said to have been the author of the favorite tunes the Germans are accustomed to sing to these hymns.

MARTIN LUTHER, D.D.

14831546.

THE little town of Eisleben was the honoured birthplace of this prince of the Keformation. He was born there on the 10th November, 1483. A few months after his birth his parents removed to Mansfeldt, that his father, who was poor, might obtain work in the mines of that neighbourhood. There his father after wards so far prospered as to establish smelting furnaces, and to obtain the means for Martin s education. From his pious parents, Martin received a careful, religious education ; but too much severity left an unfavourable impression on the mind of the child, and his early religion was one of fear rather than of love. He learned what he could at the Latin school of Mans feldt, and gave such promise as to awaken his father s highest expectations of his iuture course.

To further his education, Martin was sent, at the age of fourteen, to the Franciscan school at Magdeburg, where he used to sing in the streets for his bread, as his father was not yet able to support him. A year after he was removed to a celebrated school at Eisenach. He had relatives there, and hoped for their assistance, but they neglected him. It was there that Ursula, the wife of Conrad Cotta, took compassion on the singing boy, and, not only gave him temporary relief, but received him to her house, where for some years he enjoyed one of the most pleasant and profitable periods of his life. In that hos pitable home young Martin greatly extended his knowledge of literature and science, and at the same time learned to play the flute and lute to please his kind benefactor, who was passionately fond of music ; and thus became confirmed in him that love to music and song which afterwards bore such good fruits.

On reaching the age of eighteen, Luther went to the University of

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