# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1846 12 22_S47
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

48

Collection of Sayings about Dr. M. Luther's Person, Teaching, Writings, and Deeds, from People of All Kinds of Religions.

[A line of type is interleaved here in the scan, apparently misplaced from an adjacent column and not evidently connected in sense to the heading above: "...of the Gospel brought once more to light..." Its correct placement is not evident from context.]

I. From Lutherans.

Dr. J. Brentius (died as Lutheran provost in 1570 at Stuttgart):

Luther alone, in his writings, lifts us up; all of us, reckoned against him, are as dead letters. I will say what the matter is. To whatever station of human life I turn my eyes, benefits present themselves to me which God has graciously shown us through Luther. That in the church the godless system has been rooted out, and instead Law and Gospel — that is, the whole doctrine necessary to salvation — is truly set forth, the holy sacraments are administered, the name of God is truly called upon, and the psalms are sung to good use: this is a special benefit of God, imparted to us through Luther against the will of all papists and monks. That in the schools the filthy, godless dreams of the sophists have been cast out, and instead Holy Scripture — which we ought rightly to apply all diligence to understand correctly — is set forth pure and clear: for this we have to thank God through the ministry of Luther. If in the civil governing estate you wield the sword rightly with a good conscience, you have this to ascribe to the doctrine which Luther has set forth concerning the civil governing estate. What toil, what confusion of mind would not befall you in the household estate — whether in marriage, or agriculture, or trade, or commerce, or other domestic affairs, not only those that require hard labor but also those pursued somewhat more freely — if you were not well instructed in the doctrine which Luther, the faithful servant of Christ, has explained with great skill. Finally, whether you look upon our common commonwealth or upon each person's own affairs, there hover before our eyes the benefits with which the Son of God has graciously endowed us through Luther. (See: Brentius's Exhortation to Read Luther's Books Diligently.)

Dr. Hieronymus Weller (was for a time tutor to Luther's children, and died as school inspector at Freiberg in 1572):

Therefore I advise and exhort all pious, godly pastors, or teachers of the church, that they not depart a hair's breadth from the writings and practices of this man of God. For there is no doubt that all those who, out of their own understanding and experience, wish through Scripture to be above Dr. Luther, and who despise his writings, are true apostate renegades and erring, flighty spirits, and we have many examples of this before our eyes. Luther is far more than such people, inexperienced in spiritual conflicts, imagine him to be. For in spirit, power, wisdom, skill, and experience he was equal to the foremost prophets and apostles. For, in the first place, he had the pure doctrine. In the second place, he attacked the Roman pope, against whom no one had dared to utter even the slightest word, and he alone, without the least help or protection of any man, dared joyfully to rise up and stand against him — whereby he stirred up and provoked against himself all kings and princes, indeed rather all the gates of hell — which he truly could not have done had there not been in him a prophetic spirit, a special strength, magnanimity, and power of faith, such as we read was in the prophet Elijah; so that I may truly and justly call him the third Elijah, who is to come shortly before the Last Day and set all things right again. And this he learned not only from Holy Scripture, but the great persecutions and trials were his teachers and masters; and just as another prophet and apostle formerly bore the marks and wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ on his own body, so Luther in truth did this preeminently. Of this I can be a witness, as one who observed and beheld his inner life with constant diligence, and who was truly his table companion for eight whole years. His manifold and various trials, conflicts, and struggles also often moved him to desire, from his heart, to depart from here and be with Christ, and he often said he would rather shed his blood for Christ's sake than be tormented by such deadly thoughts, the devil's fiery and poisonous arrows. Therefore he also did not expound Holy Scripture with such a lazy, sleepy, and complacent mind and disposition as the great mass of theologians is wont to do. But this I noted diligently: as often as he was about to let some useful and necessary writing go out, the devil had beforehand struck him with his fists. The great tribulations, conflicts, and anxieties drove him to consider and weigh Holy Scripture somewhat more deeply than other interpreters and translators, and to be able to point out and show, against every trial and temptation, the true and certain medicine and comfort in Holy Scripture — which those who have not experienced such trials and tribulations, and the anguish and distress of hell, can by no means do.

Therefore I warn and exhort all those who wish to study theology that, through constant and diligent reading, they make his books the most familiar and common to themselves; for I do not know how it is, but all theologians seem cold to me in their writing and preaching who have not diligently read through Luther's books day and night, and there is no danger that discord or division might arise in any land or city among the servants of the divine Word, if they diligently and constantly read all of Luther's writings together, and repeat them often. So you have, my dear Wolfgang, my judgment of Luther, which I do not doubt will please all those who proclaim Christ purely and simply. Fare you well in the Lord, and be strong and steadfast in the confession of the truth, and remember me in your prayer. Given at Freiberg, the Wednesday after Oculi, in the year 1561.

Dr. Alberus (was latterly general superintendent at Güstrow in Mecklenburg; died 1553):

Dr. Martin Luther was a man who could hold back the wrath of God; no one could pray and call upon God more diligently and earnestly; no one could comfort better; no one could preach better. He was a man without deceit; he was hostile to liars and the double-tongued; he loved sincerity; he hated greed; he was an enemy of pride; drunkenness and unchastity were unknown to him. No anger was ever detected in him, except when he was in the field against papists and enthusiasts, and there one saw the wrath of the Holy Spirit and not of a man. He had a fine, clear, bold countenance and falcon's eyes, and was, in his limbs and bearing, a handsome person. Likewise: he was an eloquent, friendly, gracious, earnest, truthful, courageous, modest, generous, cheerful man, who could keep moderation in all things, and spoke no vain word; he was terrible to the stubborn, comforting to the timid. Likewise, when he was asked about the right understanding of a passage in Holy Scripture, he was at once ready with the answer. When he was asked for advice, he gave good counsel on the spot, as though he had long deliberated upon it, and it was so well given that one could easily perceive that the Holy Spirit was master and counselor there. He was not obstinate, was surly to no one, gave friendly answers and good reports, was no mocker, but had compassion for simple foolishness or lack of understanding; he gave gladly, lent gladly, served everyone gladly, both with counsel and deed, words and works.

Note: Alberus, who speaks here, once asked Luther how one ought to preach before princes and great lords. Luther answered: as his very name suggests — plainly and simply. [A play on words: "Alberus" echoes the German albern, "plain, artless, simple."]

Urbanus Regius (latterly general superintendent of the lands of Lüneburg; died at Celle in 1541):

Luther is such and so great a theologian that no age has had his equal; all the more must I curse the folly and presumption of the Carlstadtians, who flatter themselves that they could be compared with Luther, whose shadow they do not reach with all the wisdom by which they make themselves out to be great. I must say what I think: we all indeed write and work at Holy Scripture; but compared with Luther we are pupils; this judgment does not flow out of affection, but affection flows out of this judgment.

G. Fabricius (died as rector of the Gymnasium at Meissen in 1571) writes to Hieronymus Weller:

You extol Luther as highly as others