Margaretta was once speaking to her father of Jesus, the angels, and heaven. Deeply moved, he exclaimed, “Oh! how much better than ours is the faith and life of children! The word which they hear they accept with joy and without any doubts, and are happy. But we old fools have painful anxieties, and dispute long. Well has Christ said, ‘Unless ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Christmas, particularly, was a season of joyful festival in Luther’s family. No annual fair, such as are to this day held in Germany, passed by in which he did not purchase presents for his children. With deep regret he wrote to his wife, when he was in Torgau, in 1532, that he could find nothing in that town to buy for the little ones at home. Vocal and instrumental music was a frequent source of family entertainment, especially after supper. Luther himself accompanied it with the flute or the lute, both of which he played skilfully. He often invited accomplished singers, and thus held family concerts in his house. When his time and the weather permitted, he repaired to what was afterwards called _Luther’s Spring_, which he himself discovered, and over which, after his marriage, he had a neat summer-house erected. He spent many an hour of pleasant enjoyment in his garden, with his wife engaged with her needle, and the children playing around him. Here he often invited his friends to exhibit to them the luxuriant fruit of his own cultivation. As the children increased in years, especially the sons, he made them his companions. He took them with him on his numerous journeys, and they accompanied him on his last and eventful tour to the place of his birth, and, as it proved, the place of his death. That he might enjoy the society of his wife as much as possible, he pursued his labors with her at his side or invited her into his study. She often copied his manuscripts for the press, and otherwise rendered aid in writing. He communicated to her everything of special interest relating to the progress of the Reformation not only orally when at home, but by letter during his absence. He also frequently read aloud for her entertainment, and sometimes even extracts from the books of his opponents, such as Erasmus and others. He often gave her striking passages of Scripture to commit to memory, such as Psalm 31, which was particularly applicable to her condition after his death, just as though he had anticipated it years before. She, on the other hand, often urged him to the performance of pressing duties, especially answering letters. Her participation in his affairs was kindly reciprocated by him. He patiently listened to all her requests, and in his letters executed many of her commissions. It was only when he desired to complete some work which allowed no postponement that he dispensed with her presence. At such times, he locked himself in his study for days, and ate nothing but