1. BIBLE. Among the many priceless treasures for which all Christendom owes thanks, under God, to Luther, the translation of the Bible into German is one of the grandest and one of the most glorious. In the churches of that time Latin Bibles were used exclusively. The people, however, were not acquainted with them; for, in the first place, laymen could not read them, and, in the second place, they were forbidden to read the Bible. In addition to this, the Bibles of that time were far too expensive. An ordinary Latin Bible cost 360 florins, and one nicely written out by monks even brought 500 dollars. It is true, there were German translations of the Bible even before Luther, but they were so inexact, and composed in such poor German, that the people could not use them. And yet, if every Christian was to read and learn the Gospel which Luther preached and proclaimed; if he was to convince himself from the Scriptures of the errors of popery; if he was effectively to arm himself against them; and if the Bible was to make him wise unto salvation, then he had to have it in his own language. Luther was long since convinced of this and had, therefore, already translated the seven Penitential Psalms. When, in 1521, the Wartburg sheltered him against his enemies, he, for the first, undertook the translation of the New Testament. He wrote: "Till Easter I will remain here in seclusion. By that time I will translate the Postil and New Testament into the people's language. That is demanded by our friends." After completing the work he wrote to Spalatin: "In my Patmos I had translated not only the Gospel according to John, but the entire New Testament. Now we are at it to polish the whole, Philip and I; God willing, it will prove a fine work." On the 21st of September, 1522, it appeared and sold at 1-1/2 florins. Although the book was proscribed in many countries, the entire first edition was sold in a few weeks. In the same year several new editions had to be issued. Then Luther, with his friends, entered upon the translation of the whole Bible. It was a most difficult task. Luther said of it: "It frequently happened that we searched and inquired fourteen days, aye, three or four weeks for a single word, and yet, at times, did not find it." But God permitted him to complete the great work upon which, amid countless battles and labors, his heart had been set for many years. In 1534 the complete Bible appeared. [Illustration: The Translation of the Bible.]