Martin Luther

,Martin Luther was in his boyhood so poor that he went about the streets of the city singing songs for a little money to buy food to keep him from starving. But he was a faithful student , and God raised up friends for him, and made him , at last , the great and useful man that he was . On a cold dark night , when the wind was blowing hard , Conrad , a worthy citizen of a little town in Germany , sat playing his flute , while Ursula , his wife , was preparing supper. They heard a voice singing outside ;


"Foxes to their holes have gone ,


Every bird into its nest;


But I wander here alone ,


And for me there is no rest."


Tears filled the old man's eyes as he said ,"What a pity that voice should be spoiled by being tried in such weather!" I think it is the voice of a child . Let us open the door and see," said his wife , who had lost a little boy not long before , and whose heart was opened to take pity on the little wanderer. Conrad opened the door , and saw a ragged child , who said ," Charity , good sir , for Christ's sake ." "Come in , my little one ," he said . "You shall rest with me for the night."

The boy said," Thank God and entered. The heat of the room made him faint , but Ursula's kind care soon restored him. They gave him some supper , and then he told them that he was the son of a poor miner and wanted to be a priest. He wandered about and sang , and lived on the money people gave him. His kind friends would not him talk much, and sent him to bed . When he was asleep they looked in upon him , and were so pleased with his pleasant countenance that they determined to keep him if he was willing . In the morning they found that he was only too glad to remain. They sent him to school , and afterwards he entered a monastery. There he found the Bible , which he read , and from which he learned the way of life. The sweet voice of the little singer became the strong echo of the good news, " Justified by faith , we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Conrad and Ursula , when they took that street singer into their house , little thought that they were nourishing the great champion of the Reformation . The poor child was Martin Luther! "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers."

The following is the whole of the song that Luther sang on that memorable night:

"Lord of Heaven !Lone and sad,
I would lift my soul to thee;
Pilgrim in a foreign land ,
Gracious Father , look on me.
I shall neither faint nor die
While I walk beneath thine eye.

" I will stay my faith on thee,
And will never fear to tread
Where the Saviour Master leads;
He will give me daily bread.
Christ was hungry , Christy was poor ;
He will feed me with his store.

Foxes to their holes have gone,
Every bird into his nest;
But I wander here alone ,
And for me there is no rest;
Yet I neither faint nor fear ,
For the Saviour - Christ is near.

"If I live he'll near me be ;
If I die to him I'll go .
He'll not leave me , I will trust him,
And my heart no fear shall know.
Sin and sorrow I defy;
For on Jesus I rely. From an old magazine.(1895)