The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

y which, I think, the best German writers are distinguished from all other
moderns. The Catholic, as well as the modern Protestant scholar, has many
things to find fault with in this translation; but these, after all, regard only
individual passages. In these later times, we have witnessed an attempt to
render a new and rational translation of the Bible an instrument of
propagating the doctrines of the illuminati; and we have seen this too much
even in the hands of Catholics themselves. But the instant this folly had
blown over, we returned, with increased affection, to the excellent old
version of Luther. He, indeed, has not the whole merit of producing it. We
owe to him, nevertheless, the highest gratitude for placing in our hands this
most noble and manly model of German expression. Even in his own
writings he displays a most original eloquence, surpassed by few names
that occur in the whole history of literature. He had, indeed, all those
qualities which fit a man to be a revolutionary orator. This revolutionary
eloquence is manifest, not only in his half-political and business writings,
such as the Address to the Nobility of the German Nation, but in all the
works which he has left behind him. In almost the whole of them, we
perceive the marks of mighty internal conflict. Two worlds appear to be
contending for the mastery over the mighty soul of this man, so favored by
God and nature. Throughout all his writings there prevails a struggle
between light and darkness, faith and passion, God and himself. The
choice which he made--the use to which he devoted his majestic genius-these
are subjects upon which it is even now quite impossible for me to
speak, so as to please you all. As to the intellectual power and greatness of
Luther, abstracted from all consideration of the uses to which he applied
them, I think there are few, even of his own disciples, who appreciate him
highly enough. His coadjutors were mostly mere scholars, indolent and
enlightened men of the common order. It was upon him and his soul that
the fate of Europe depended. He was the man of his age and nation." 17
Let us hear another expression of the opinion of this great man.
"That the Reformation did not at its very commencement
17 Lectures on the History of Literature, New York, 1841, p. 348-350.