the pure Gospel, and had given
greater depth and substance to the minds and conscience of the people.
Around him burst forth a new life, greater general prosperity, many new
arts, improvements in painting and music, comfortable enjoyment, and
more refined cultivation in the middle classes. Yet there was a
something gloomy and ominous which pervaded the German atmosphere.
Fierce discord raged amongst princes and governors. Foreign powers were
arrayed against the people, the Emperor from Spain, the Pope from Rome,
and the Turks from the Mediterranean; enthusiasts and factious spirits
were powerful, the hierarchy had not yet fallen. Had his gospel given
greater unity and power to the nation? The discord had become only
greater, and the future of his Church seemed dependent on the worldly
interests of individual German princes. And well he knew what even the
best among them were. Something terrible seemed approaching, the
Scripture would be fulfilled, the last day was at hand. But afterwards
God would raise up a new world, more beautiful, more splendid, and more
pure, full of peace and blessing; a world in which there would be no
devil; where the soul of man would find more enjoyment in the flowers
and fruit of the new heavenly trees, than the present race do in gold
and silver; where music, the most beautiful of all arts, would give
birth to tones more entrancing than the most splendid song of the best
singers of this world; and where good men would find again all that
they had loved and lost.[44]

Ever more powerful became in him the longing of the creature after an
ideal purity of existence. If he expected the end of the world, it was
the dim traditions of the German people from the distant past which
still veiled the heaven of the new Reformer; and yet it was at the same
time a prophetic presentiment of what was at hand. It was not the end
of the world which was approaching, but the Thirty years' war.

So he died. As the hearse bearing his corpse passed through the country
of Thuringia, the bells tolled in every village and town, and the
people pressed sobbing round his coffin. A large share of German
popular strength was buried with this one man. Philip Melancthon, in
the church of the castle at Wittenberg, standing before the corpse of
Luther, said: "Every one who has known him well must bear witness that
he was a truly good man; gracious in speech, friendly and lovable; not
in the least insolent, violent, obstinate,