EXTRACTS FROM LAST MAIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 233, 1 October 1868, Page 2

EXTRACTS FROM LAST MAIL.

The city (Worms on the Rhine) in which Luther, pleading before tbe Sovereign aud assembled Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, viudicated the Gospel against sacerdotal encroachment 347 years ago, has just witnessed the inauguration of a monument to his honor. In size and rich variety of design it has no equal. It is not a statue, but a combination of eleven statues grouped arouud and surmounted by the gigantic likeuess of the Thuringian miner's son. Ascending a few steps,- you tread on a granite base 40 feet square, inclosed on the tbree other sides by a battlemeuted balustrade. Iv its centre Luther stand pre-eminent. Seated on the four pedestals you see,| clustering about tho mastermind, his four precursors, who attempted what he accomplished. To this noble array the English, French, Italian, and Slaav nations have each furnished a member — John Wiccliffe. Petrus Waldus, Jerouimo Savonarola, and Jan Huss; with seven more statues distributed around. Frederick the Wise and Philip the Generous, impersonating power and prudence, watch the front ; Philip Melaucthon and John Reuchlin, with their solid erudition, are at their rear. To these nine great men — images of real beings — are united the symbolical statues of three cities — Augsburg, Magdeburg, and Spires — three majestic women, take up the centre of each side ofthe balustrade. On a syenite pedestal surmounted with two bronze squares, stands Luther. It is the stout, sturdy shape familiar to every eye. It is tha dear old well-known form, with its honest features, and calm, imperturbable eye, as painted by Cranacb. With face turned upwards, he rests his clenched fist on thst closed Bible as if uttering the famous versa of his beautiful chorale — 'Das Wort sic sollen lassen stehn.' Thus stands the wonderful structure before us, a petrified piece of history, silent, yet eloquent to anyone who knows what has- once agitated mankind, and has a presentiment of what will agitate them again. Ou front of the monument appear a fitting motto, the closing words of Luther's celebrated speech in the Worms Diet — * Here, I staad. I cannot speak or act otherwise.' So help me God» Amen.' M. Replovsky, deacon of the Russian Cburch at Stutgard, has presented to -the post ofiice of administration of St. Petersburg a letter-box, organised in such a way that the person who deposits a letter in it receives immediately a ticket showing the year, month, aud day of the act. A commission appointed to examine the invention has found it perfectly and well suited for the object proposal.