3. HYMNS. Another precious gift for which all Christians should thank Luther is the collection of his incomparable hymns and songs, so childlike and devout, so simple and yet so powerful. When introducing the Lutheran order of worship Luther took great pains that not only the pastors and choristers, but also the congregations might sing their hymns to God in heaven in their own mother's tongue. However, there were very few German hymns at that time fit to be used in divine worship. Luther, therefore, also undertook this work, and, in 1524, the first hymnbook appeared. It contained eight hymns set to music, four of which Luther had composed. The first evangelical church-hymn which Luther wrote was that glorious song, "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice." In it, from his own experience, he describes human misery, and then glorifies God's work of salvation. Then followed, "O God of Heaven, Look Down and See," and, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee." Both of these hymns are cries for help out of the depths of human misery in which the congregation and every penitent Christian raises his voice to God on high and is heard. Later on appeared hymns for the festive seasons: "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come;" "All Praise to Jesus' Hallowed Name;" "In Death's Strong Grasp the Savior Lay;" "Now Do We Pray God the Holy Ghost." Then, among many more: "Though in the Midst of Life We Be;" "In Peace and Joy I Now Depart." Above all others towers his hymn of battle and triumph, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Especially powerful was the effect produced by Luther's hymns in those days. The people never wearied of singing them, and in very many places the Gospel was introduced by the triumphant power of the Lutheran hymns intonated by pious church members. The opponents complained, "The people sing themselves into this heretical church; Luther's hymns have misled more souls than all his writings and sermons." In Brunswick a priest complained to the duke that Lutheran hymns were sung even in the court's chapel. The duke, though also very bitter against Luther, asked, "What kind of hymns are they? How do they read?" The priest answered, "Your Grace, one of them is, 'May God Bestow on Us His Grace,'" whereupon the duke rejoined, "Why, is the devil to bestow his grace upon us? Who is to be gracious to us if not God?" Concerning the effect of Luther's hymns a friend writes: "I do not doubt that by the one little hymn of Luther, 'Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice,' many hundred Christians have received faith who never before heard the name of Luther; but the noble, dear words of this man so won their hearts that they had to accept the truth." CHAPTER XVII. Luther's Family Life. [Illustration: Luther's Marriage with Katharine of Bora.]