#2327-To Anton Lauterbach in Leisnig

To the highly honorable brother in Christ, Herr Anton Lauterbach, the faithful and pure servant of the Word in the church in Leisnig.

Grace and peace in Christ! Thus you should do, my dear Anton: Be strong in quietness and hope (Jermiah 30:15) and you will through Christ overcome this word-distorter (Grammaticosopphistam) “with quietness one can address much” especially in such matters until we free you in an appropriate way from this calling and put you in another position as we are thoroughly considering. Meanwhile it is better and more honorable for you to suffer injustice from that one than to fight back. “The right will finally be found.”

Concerning Johann Guelden (Aureo Johanne) you have made me skeptical. It has been reported to me that he is a prisoner in the castle Leuchtenburg so it must be that this letter was written long before. May God turn him about and bring him again on the right path.

Permit me to greet your wife Agnes. Midweek in Christmastide (27 Dec.)1536 (1535).

N.B. New Year began on Christmas in those days. Leuchtenburg is in Saxony-Altenburg in the vicinity of Kahla.
On Jaunary 13,1536, Melanchthon held a hearing on Guelden and he was commended to the grace of the Elector. It is thought unlikely that he would have been held in prison until December 1536 as some have date ML’s letter in December of 1535.


##2238-Elector Johann Friedrich to Luther, Bugenhagen and Melanchthon.

To begin with: Our greetings. Honored, celebrate, dear devout and faithful ones! As we were with the high-born Prince, Lord Philip, Landgraf in Hesse, our friendly, dear cousin and brother, in Eisenach we together reflected on the dangerous scheduling of the Council announced by the present Pope to be at Mantua
And also on other matter concerning religion so we have set a day and time for the coming together of all our relatives at Schmakald in midweek after Agatha (7Feb.) in the nearest future or sometime soon and we also written to each esatate that on that day they bring one or two of their learned theologians as we
Have deliberated with our cousin and brother the Landgraf and agreed to do so that in the matter of the Council and whatever else pertains to our
Religion we may speak and decide in an impressive way. On that account we think it most beneficial for us to take three from our party along to that set day.
Therefore we would together physically in someway therfore consider that come to us on the Monday after the Conversion of Paul (Jan.29) so that you
Travel with us to Schmalkald for the appointed day to further the case and in obedient compliance and willing to what we want to do. Doing thus for us would
Be recognized as a special grace and favor. Date at Zeitz on the Sunday after the innocentum puerorum (death of innocent children) (Dec.31. Anno 1537 (1536).

Favor and goodness