3. THE DEATH OF MAGDALENE. How dearly Luther loved his children we can see from his pious and touching conduct during the sickness and death of his little daughter Magdalene. In the beginning of September, 1542, being then in her fourteenth year, she became ill. When she was now sick unto death she longed very much for her brother John whom she loved most dearly. He was then at school at Torgau. Luther at once sent a wagon there and wrote to Rector Krodel that he should send John home for a few days. John found his sister still alive. The disease tortured the poor child for fourteen more days, and her father suffered very much with her. When the hope of recovery vanished more and more, Luther prayed, "Lord, I love, her very much and would like to keep her, but, dear Lord, since it is Thy will to take her away, I am glad to know that she will be with Thee." And when she lay a-dying he said to her, "Magdalene, my dear little daughter, you would like to remain with this your dear father, wouldn't you, but also gladly go to that Father?" The child answered, "Yes, dear father, as God wills!" She died in his arms on the evening of the 20th of September, at nine o'clock. The mother was also in the same room, but at a distance from the bed because of her great sorrow. As she wept bitterly and was very sad Luther said to her, "Dear Kate, consider where she is going! She fares well indeed!" When they laid her in her coffin he said, "You dear little Lena, how happy you are! You will rise again and shine as the stars, yea, as the sun." To the bystanders he said, "In the spirit, indeed, I rejoice, but according to the flesh I am very sad. Such parting is very painful. It is very strange--to know that she is in peace and well off, and yet to be so sad!" The people who had come to the funeral to express their sympathy he addressed thus, "You ought to rejoice! I have sent a saint to heaven, yes, a living saint. O that we had such a death! Such a death I would accept this moment!" After the funeral Luther said, "My daughter is now taken care of both as to body and as to soul. We Christians have nothing to complain of, we know that it must be thus. We have the greatest assurance of eternal life; for God cannot lie who has promised it to us through and for the sake of His Son." Upon her grave he placed the following epitaph: "I, Luther's daughter Magdalene, with the saints here sleep, And covered calmly rest on this my couch of earth; Daughter of death I was, born of the seed of sin, But by Thy precious blood redeemed, O Christ! I live."