Sunday, July 01, 2007

#2105-To Spalatin

Grace and peace! We learned from your letter to Jonas, my good Spalatin, that one with you and your co-bishops advocate the removal of pastors and church servants in Torgau chiefly for the reason that their voices cannot be understod in the sermons. They certainly have sung the same little tune to us mainly after they heard the sermons of M.Wolfgang Fuss (Fues)in a lecture. However, you take care, my dear Spaltin that you do not permit yourself to be persuaded by this single recommendation to undertake this dangerous alteration which is not merely annoying but would exceedingly offensive to us. Since if this right is given to the common people that they may change their pastor when they are sick of him how long will they finally have any pastor? Take this for an example: could you bear it if on account of either the voice or for health reasons would either dispose of you or add the one from Colditz as your assistant? Gabriel (Zwilling) and the others of Torgau have so many virtues that they not only darken the voice of M. Wolfgang but also complain about the virtues. Therefore I plead with you that you would spare us in this matter which could not be looked upon without the greatest offense. Such people as these Torgauers are not frequently found and it would be disgraceful for us to exchange the better for the worst simply on the basis of the dissimilarity of the voice when they sufficiently understand, faithfully teach and read and the latter are only beneficial in their screams for the itching ears and the content benefits only a few if any.. The LOrd be with you, my dear Spalatin. Anno 1534. (no day or month). Your Martin Luther.
NOTE: I don't if the "voice" has to do with the various German dialects or what.

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