{"product_id":"2940012865632","title":"CHRISTIAN GELLERT'S LAST CHRISTMAS","description":"Three o'clock had just struck from the tower of St. Nicholas, Leipzig,\u003cbr\u003eon the afternoon of December 22d, 1768, when a man, wrapped in a loose\u003cbr\u003eovercoat, came out of the door of the University. His countenance was\u003cbr\u003eexceedingly gentle, and on his features cheerfulness still lingered, for\u003cbr\u003ehe had been gazing upon a hundred cheerful faces; after him thronged a\u003cbr\u003etroop of students, who, holding back, allowed him to precede them: the\u003cbr\u003epassengers in the streets saluted him, and some, students, who\u003cbr\u003epressed forwards and hurried past him homewards, saluted him quite\u003cbr\u003ereverentially. He returned their salutations with a surprised and almost\u003cbr\u003edeprecatory air, and yet he knew, and could not conceal from himself,\u003cbr\u003ethat he was one of the best beloved, not only in the good city of\u003cbr\u003eLeipzig, but in all lands far and wide.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was Christian Furchtegott Gellert, the Poet of Fables, Hymns, and\u003cbr\u003eLays, who was just leaving his college.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen we read his \"Lectures upon Morals,\" which were not printed until\u003cbr\u003eafter his death, we obtain but a very incomplete idea of the great power\u003cbr\u003ewith which they came immediately from Gellert's mouth. Indeed, it was\u003cbr\u003ehis voice, and the touching manner in which he delivered his lectures,\u003cbr\u003ethat made so deep an impression upon his hearers; and Rabener was\u003cbr\u003eright when once he wrote to a friend, that \"the philanthropic voice\" of\u003cbr\u003eGellert belonged to his words.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAbove all, however, it was the amiable and pure personal character of\u003cbr\u003eGellert which vividly and edifyingly impressed young hearts. Gellert was\u003cbr\u003ehimself the best example of pure moral teaching; and the best which a\u003cbr\u003eteacher can give his pupils is faith in the victorious might, and the\u003cbr\u003estability of the eternal moral laws. His lessons were for the Life, for\u003cbr\u003ehis life in itself was a lesson. Many a victory over the troubles of\u003cbr\u003elife, over temptations of every kind, ay, many an elevation to\u003cbr\u003enobility of thought, and to purity of action, had its origin in that\u003cbr\u003electure-hall, at the feet of Gellert.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was as though Gellert felt that it was the last time he would deliver\u003cbr\u003ethese lectures; that those words so often and so impressively uttered\u003cbr\u003ewould be heard no more from his mouth; and there was a peculiar sadness,\u003cbr\u003eyet a peculiar strength, in all he said that day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe had this day earnestly recommended modesty and humility; and it\u003cbr\u003eappeared almost offensive to him, that people as he went should tempt\u003cbr\u003ehim in regard to these very virtues; for continually he heard men\u003cbr\u003ewhisper, \"That is Gellert!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat is fame, and what is honor? A cloak of many colors, without warmth,\u003cbr\u003ewithout protection: and now, as he walked along, his heart literally\u003cbr\u003efroze in his bosom, as he confessed to himself that he had as yet done\u003cbr\u003enothing--nothing which could give him a feeling of real satisfaction.\u003cbr\u003eMen honored him and loved him: but what was all that worth? His\u003cbr\u003einnermost heart could not be satisfied with that; in his own estimation\u003cbr\u003ehe deserved no meed of praise; and where, where was there any evidence\u003cbr\u003eof that higher and purer life which he would fain bring about! Then,\u003cbr\u003eagain, the Spirit would comfort him and say: \"Much seed is lost,\u003cbr\u003emuch falls in stony places, and much on good ground and brings forth\u003cbr\u003esevenfold.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis inmost soul heard not the consolation, for his body was weak and\u003cbr\u003esore burdened from his youth up, and in his latter days yet more than\u003cbr\u003eever; and there are conditions of the body in which the most elevating\u003cbr\u003ewords, and the cheeriest notes of joy, strike dull and heavy on the\u003cbr\u003esoul. It is one of the bitterest experiences of life to discover how\u003cbr\u003elittle one man can really be to another. How joyous is that youthful\u003cbr\u003efreshness which can believe that, by a thought transferred to another's\u003cbr\u003eheart, we can induce him to become another being, to live according to\u003cbr\u003ewhat he must acknowledge true, to throw aside his previous delusions,\u003cbr\u003eand return to the right path!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The youngsters go their way! Do your words follow after? Whither are\u003cbr\u003ethey going? What are now their thoughts? What manner of life will be\u003cbr\u003etheirs? My heart yearns after them, but cannot be with them: oh, how\u003cbr\u003ehappy were those messengers of the Spirit, who cried aloud to youth or\u003cbr\u003emanhood the words of the Spirit, that they must leave their former ways,\u003cbr\u003eand thenceforth change to other beings! Pardon me, O God! that I would\u003cbr\u003efain be like them; I am weak and vile, and yet, methinks, there must be\u003cbr\u003ewords as yet unheard, unknown--oh! where are they, those words which at\u003cbr\u003eonce lay hold upon the soul?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith such heavy thoughts went Gellert away from his college-gate to\u003cbr\u003eRosenthal.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47078965412080,"sku":"2940012865632","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940012865632_p0.jpg?v=1763573249","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940012865632","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}