#2097-To Joachim Prince in Anhalt

To the illustrious, high-born Prince and Lord, Lord Joachim, Prince of Anhalt,Graf in Ascanien and Lord in Berneburg, my Gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. Illustrious,high-born Prince,gracious Lord! I thank very much Your F.G. for the humility you have so graciously demonstrated in the Christian work for my new person (Menchen=Margaratha) in Christ,Amen. However, EFG has done well and prevented much concern in that you yourself have not betook yourself in such hard weather (to come?) lest it might have been too acute and rough on EFG's body. My gn.(gracious) )Princes and Lords,P.(Prince)Johann and P. Georg etc., I wish God's grace in my poor pater nostre together with the whole line,branches and fruits, and EFG please take audacious request in the best way and in Christ live joyfully and blessedly,Amen. XIX December 1534. EFG's willing D. Martinus Luther.
NOTE: Three brothers rule as Princes in Anhalt.
ML calls the newborn and recently baptized daughter Margaretha "meinen neuen Menchen"=my new human in Christ. Guess ML was thinking it was a condescension (Demuth = humility)for a Prince to consent to being Margaretha sponsor. ML still say Lord's Prayers for individuals?

#2096-To Joachim Prince in Anhalt

To the illustrious,high-born Prince and Lord, Lord Joachim, Prince in Anhalt, Graf in Ascanien,and Lord in Bernburg, my gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ. Illustrious, high=born Prince,Gracious one!(Gnadiger).
Almighty God had presented to me this hour through my dear Kaethe a young daughter.Now previously I promised to request EFG concerning the Christ office of spiritual fatherhood; therefore I request for Christ's sake EFG would not deem the humble service burdensome and be helpful in bringing the poor heathen out of her sinful, deathly birth into the new,holy,blessed rebirth through the holy bath of Baptism. And because it is now cold and inclement weather for the body of EFG I want to spare EFG's own person and have him stay home and from there or from Dessau give the order. M. Philippus and M. Franscus are not natives. What would please EFG you know well how to carry out. God will repay and what I know is humbly deserving for this I am responsible and duty bound to perform. Tomorrow I am happy to have the baptism. Christ be with eFG blessedly,Amen. On the Thursday after Lucia (17 Dec.) 1534. EFG's willing Martinus Luther,D.
NOTES: Don't understand the reference to the nativity of Melanchton and Franscus except that perhaps you had to be a resident of Saxony-Anhalt to be a sponsor. Any ideas?
The office of god-father is spoken of by ML as "humility" in deference to a Prince I assume. See next letter to Joachim.
Joachim was recently ill.See #2092. #2086 to Hausmann in Dessau tells of a new-born Prince in Anhalt. Who will be his godfather?

#2095-To Justus Jonas

I wish you happiness,my dear Jonas now that the stones (Gallstones?) have finally gone through. Would to God that they would never more return or come in again,Amen. However, also I want to announce to you that to me today around the 12th hour by God's grace the third (Margaretha) daughter is born. I have asked the illustrious Lord Joachim of Anhalt to be god-father (Catechistam) but I do not know whether the Court would accept us. I wish very much, however, that you either at breakfast or for the evening meal would come together if you are healthy enough. I do believe that M.Georg has brought to you my opinion which I handed over to Phillip. The more I think about it the more disheartened am I about this doubtful union about which there are so many differences among us. And it has been written to me that the Duke of Wuertemberg has Blauer (Ambrosius)as his darling. If that is true, what can we hope from the rest of Germany? On the 17th of December 1534. Your Martin Luther.
NOTE: In a later letter ML will approve of Blauer's efforts toward unity. What's most on ML's mind the negotiations with the Zwinglians or his dear family? When I was four I was dying of pneumonia and my father said that when he left for church I was turning blue and he didn't think he would see my alive again. Guess the church comes first, right? No doubt about it.
ML says in the Table Talks that Gallstones is an illness pecuilar to the Germans and Zipperlein for the English. Was ist Zipperlein.

Fanny Mendelsohn 1805-1847

#2093-To Justus Jonas

Grace and peace be to you, my good Jonas, but give death and hell to your stone (Gallstone?) through the power of Christ.I had ,to be sure ,wished to discuss with you and others before M.Philippus departs but you neither could come to me nor I could come to you. Yet tomorrow I will make a record of my convictions (Beglaubigung?)and keep a copy for you and all to be informed. I will not in this matter deal with anything alone although I assume that between them and us there will not result in any unity. Also Philippus says he does not want to handle this alone. This is so great a matter that two or three men though of the greatest reputation cannot establish it so it appears to me that the trip of the good man Philippus is completely in vain. I cannot yield from my opinion ; and although the entire world fall apart I will stand amidst the rubble as one not giving way. Come to me as soon as you can. Be it well with you. The 17th December 1534. Your Martin Luther.
nOTE: This is the meeting at Cassel at the instigation of Philip of Hess to seek harmony with the Zwinglians on the Sacrament.This is thought to be the meeting where Melanchton is asked whether he would presume the Body of Christ to chewed on with the teeth. ML and Kaethe's third daughter is born as Philip departs on Dec.17.
Had a discussion Luther index on the first sentence but think this may be right based on the letter to Jonas above and that in the Table Talk ML uses calculus for gall stone as in the Latin in the above letter.

#2092-To Johann, Prince in Anhalt

To the illustrious, well-born Prince and Lord, Lord Johann, Prince in Anhalt, Graf in Ascanien,Lord in Bernburg, my gracious Lord.
G. a. (Grace and) Peace. Illustrious Prince, gracious Lord! Magister Franciscus has shown me several articles of the Anabaptists which are slyly appearing in Zerbst and EFG's desire to know how they should be handled etc.However, there can not be much debate since they are such sneaks and come secretly without being called as wolves in the sheep pen. Secondly, their articles are rebellious,murderous and blasphemous, and justify also the condemned Muenzer. Therefore EFG has to deal with them seriously and in no way tolerate them. How one should examine them, however, it is not my office to advise because it is a secular matter. Likewise it would be good to sharply address them spiritually that their unashamed conscience might be shamed as to who has sent them and who has commended to them such sneaky ways because they should know that if your spirit truly would be upright that no one sends nor calls himself as Christ also is said in Hebrews 5 not to have honored Himself etc.; whence have they the right to attack a called head-pastor in his office and to turn away the people commited to him away and condemn his doctrine secretly and matters of which they have not heard and are upright enough to have previously greeted him or his superiors? Such are pure buben-articles as Christ say in John X ., thieves and rogues or murderers well deserving only death and what their rebellious doctrine is worthy of etc., EFG knows better to deal with than I can describe to him. I thank my LOrd Christ that He has heard our prayer and the dear Prince, Prince Joachim He has healthy and sprite and may He grant length (of days?),Amen. The same Christ be with EFG and both of my gracious Lords together with all that is Anhalt and so called, Amen. On the Tuesday after Lucia (15 Dec.)1534. EFG's willing Mart. Luther,D.
nOTE: Probably a play on Anhalt-something held or basis in the last sentence. What is held is also named Anhalt their princedom.

#2091-To Hans Kohlhase, citizen of Berlin

Grace and peace in Christ. My good friend! To be sure I am very sorry about your misfortune, yet, God knows; and it would be better first of all not to undertake revenge because the same cannot be carried forth without burdening the conscience because that is a self-originating revenge which is forbidden by God, Deut.32,Rom.12:"Vengeance is mine, says the LOrd, I will repay "etc.,and it cannot be otherwise; he who involves himself with that puts himself at risk doing much opposed to God and men which a Christian conscience cannot justify.

While it is true that your harm and infamia is lamentable and it would be responsible to reclaim and preserve (your reputation), however, not by sinning or injustice. Quod justum est, juste persequeris, says Moses; Injustice is not made right by injustice. Being a self-judge and judging by yourself is certainly unjust, and God's anger will not let it go unpunished. What can be rightly carried out would be well for you to do; but if you cannot obtain the right there is no other counsel than to suffer the injustice. And God Who has permitted you to suffer injustice well has a reason for you to do so. He is not evil-minded toward you nor yet does you evil and He can also rightly again restore you in a different way and you will not be forsaken.

And what would it be if He wants to correct you differently by your wife,child, body or life? Here, you must, if you want to be a Christian, say: My dear LOrd God, I well deserve that you are just and do all too little according to my sins. And what is all our suffering in comparison with the suffering of Your Son our LOrd Christ?

Accordingly, as you desired my counsel (as you have written), so pursue peace wherever you can and rather suffer damage to honor and goods than to be further involved in that you take upon yourself all their sins and buberei and that you will be served by those who stir up insurrection; they are not pious and do not intend any loyalty to you but are serving themselves. You will finally betray yourself and have made a fine catch. Do not paint the devil over the door, and don't invite him to be your sponsor though he will nevertheless come since such fellows are the devil's relatives and they will receive appropriate end according to their works.

However, you are to take in consideration how burdensome it will be for your conscience should you knowingly condemn so many people over whom you have no right. Be determined and satisfied to give glory to God and let your harm be brought to God and bear it for His sake and you will experience that He will again bless you and richly reward your labor and have love for your patience in which you endure it. Thereto, Christ our LOrd, help you,our Teacher and Example of all patience and our Helper in need, Amen. On the Tuesday after Nicolaus (8 December) Anno 1534.

NOTE: NO signature on this one. Do you think that one might have a hard time perceiving personal injury or defamation as an "Unfall"=accident or misfortune?
A free translation of an ML letter to anyone who can find the quote of Moses in the Pentateuch: Quod justum est, juste perseequeris.

Schneeberg Coat of Arms

#2090-To Elector Johann Friedrich of Saxony

To the illustrious, high-born Prince and Lord, Lord Johann Friedrich, of the H.Empire Arch-Marschall and Elector, Duke in Saxony,Landgraf in Thuringia,Markgraf in Meissen, my most gracious Lord.
Grace and peace in Christ and my poor prayers etc. Illustrious, high-born Prince, most gracious Lord! I have previously written also to ECFG on behalf of Martin Sanger
of Schneeberg; now once again for sake of good people on his account who have told me that ECFG had given a gracious answer to the pastor of Schneeberg that his life and property should be secure and that being the case I should further make a humble appeal to ECFG on other matters and conflicts etc. that since ECFG has guaranteed graciously to make safe his body and property that ECFG would have look graciously upon the misery of wife and eight small children and again provide grace so that he would not be in confusion wander and become a beggar away from his wife and children.The matter is, to be sure, difficult and his wife and little ones are very much harmed as ECFG may well understand. That he has gone so far in the pardon that he should not be banned from the Princedom with the exception of Schneeberg yet I do not know what his guilt and mistake was except that I hear that the taxer, Paulus Schmidt wants to deal with him very badly: so I appeal again humbly that ECFG would graciously consider his wife and young ones' necessity which increases and makes it necessary for his upbringing and care so they are not neglected and corrupted etc., and that he may again be with his own if it is not too burdensome or contrary to the will of ECFG. The misery and need of the wife and children effect me heartily in this matter and also realize how it is when must be away from and providing for them and swaying about in confusion and to see his own consumed thus I have not been able to refuse their request to appeal to ECFG. ECFG will out of princely and Christian feeling, if God wills, provide gracously. Christ our LOrd strengthen and direct the mind and heart of ECFG graciously, Amen. On the Monday after Nicholas (7 December) 1534. ECFG's submissive Martinus Luther,D.

Organ at Marien Kirche, Zwickau

#2089-To Leonhard Beier in Zwickau

Grace and peace in Christ! I have advised this man, this priest,my dear Leonhard, that you or a Pastor nearby him to marry him to this abandoned woman but nevertheless this prevailing condition must be maintained according to the juridical form,namely that on the door of your church or one nearby in a notice under your name you invite Matthes (?) to give answer within 15 days concerning the betrayed wife. When this time has run its course and he has not done that he should be declared publicly as an Abandoner and the woman is free according to the witness of these two letters. And so she may be married to the priest in the Name of the LOrd. Be it well with you.I seldom write because I cannot do what I want to and you have no need of me to do so. On the Monday after the Advent-Sunday (30 November) 1534. Your Martin Luther.
NOTE: I have been trying to determine whether "Matthes" is a surname. Probably will have an obvious answer from Luther Index soon.
Ron Schuette was asking about ML being up on all the Saints' Days. I think there are some calendars like that today but don't remember where I saw them. Anyone know?

#2086-To Nicholas Hausmann in Dessau

To the very dear brother in Christ, Herr Mag.Nicolaus Hausmann, the faithful servant of Christ in Dessau.
Grace and peace in Christ! We rejoice and all jubilant, better Hausmann, about the divine blessing with which God blessed the very good and God-beloved prince by the happy confinement and birth of a new Prince and I request that you convey our well-wishes and prayers that God Who has begun this blessing may now complete it to His glory and for the benefits and peace of the community,Amen.
There is no news beyond that you, as we believe, already know namely about the new king in Munster and of the emissaries of the same sent to Soest, "where eight of the same were executed". Christ go forth and fulfill His Work, Amen.
In Upper Deutschland a movement has arisen on account of the Imperial Decree(banum)which the Imperial Court (Camera imperii) introduced, as one says, against the Zwinglian cities but I fear that they might rather want to sieze us. May Christ rule and be victorious, Amen. Be it well with you and also pray for me. On the Tuesday after Martin (Nov.17) 1534. Your Martin Luther.
Note: It is now 51 years since Martin's birth and baptism. Guess I'll never understand the St.Louis use of quotation marks. "wo acht derselben enthauptet" and thought it was some kind of saying and couldn't see how "eight" fit in till Luther Index enlightened me.