He once remarked to his hearers: "You are not to act in so brutish and impertinent a manner as to think it does not matter even if I do not go to church, for it is nothing but Popery and superstition. No, but it is barbarism to neglect these privileges. There is no more beautiful sight than orderly and holy assemblies, in which men are instructed of God, and where they unite in prayer and thanksgiving. We have here a type of eternal life, where we shall sit in the presence of God and his Son, and hear the Son of God instructing us in reference to the greatest wonders." In another place he says: "You must connect yourselves with the church, and maintain the public worship of God. You know how frequently the Psalmist prayed: "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." O Lord, let me live where there is a church, however small. Just as I once related of my little daughter, who said: "Koenigsberg is a very nice place too, for there they go to church just like here." She saw how glorious these assemblies are. He also in another place expresses his sentiments in regard to this matter in a very decided manner: "We love the united devotions of the house of God. Those who do not come to church, but accustom themselves to walking about, feasting, and other abominations, while the godly are assembled to hear the word of God, will degenerate more and more. They will become swine, lewd fellows, and devils. In my house at Tuebingen, in which Dr. Jerome Schurff had also resided, this ancient verse was written upon the walls: "To go to church delayeth not, to give alms impoverisheth not, and unjust wealth remaineth not." We have heard before, that it was his opinion that the public worship of God should not be entirely devoid of all ceremonies. But the ceremonies should not be opposed to the Scriptures. He did not approve of depriving the churches of their ornaments and pictures. However, we are already sufficiently acquainted with his sentiments in these respects. It is very remarkable that he attached such great importance to dreams, and the position of the stars. He dreamed a great deal, and in his letters frequently speaks of the stars; and whenever comets made their appearance he looked upon them as signs of evil times, and troubled himself exceedingly. He also relates instances of the influence exerted upon the lives of men by good and evil spirits, from which it appears that he looked upon such influences as very powerful. CHAPTER XXXVI. SOMETHING MORE OF MELANCHTHON'S MERITS.