Centuries after his death, Martin Luther’s deep affection for home and children still lives on in his writings. In 1530 he wrote the following letter to his four-year-old son Hans. I was intrigued by it, by the gentle, loving, sensitive message to his little boy, from a man we know as the brave, determined monk who transformed the Christian church and changed the Christian world.
To my little son, Hans Luther, grace and peace in Christ.
My heart-dear little son: I hear that you learn well and pray diligently. Continue to do so, my son. When I come home, I will bring you a fine present from the fair.
I know of a lovely garden, full of joyful children, who wear little golden coats, and pick up beautiful apples, and pears, and cherries and plums, under the trees. They sing, and jump, and make merry. They have also beautiful little horses with golden saddles and silver bridles.
I asked the man that kept the garden who the children were. And he said to me, “The children are those who love to learn, and to pray, and to be good.
Then I said, “Dear sir, I have a little son named Hans Luther. May he come into this garden and have the same beautiful apples and pears to eat, and wonderful little horses to ride upon, and may he play about with these children?”
Then said he, “If he is willing to learn, and to pray, and to be good, he shall come into this garden, and his friends and Justus, too. If they all come together, they shall have pipes, and little drums, and lutes, and music of stringed instruments. And they shall dance, and shoot with little crossbows.“
Then he showed me a fine meadow in the garden, all laid out for dancing. There hung golden pipes and kettledrums, and fine silver crossbows, but it was too early to see the dancing, for the children had not had their dinner.
I said, “Ah, dear sir, I will instantly go and write to my little son Hans, so that he may study, and pray, and be good, and thus come into this garden. And he has a little cousin Lena, whom he must also bring with him. Then he said to me, “So shall it be. Go home and write to him.”
Therefore, dear little son Hans, be diligent to learn and to pray, and tell Lippus and Justus to do so too, that you may all meet together in that beautiful garden. Give cousin Lena a kiss from me. Herewith I recommend you all to the care of Almighty God.