The Life of Philip MelanchthonLedderhose, Karl Friedrich
History
The Life of Philip Melanchthon
Ledderhose, Karl Friedrich
Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560
On one occasion, Melanchthon arose, sad and weary, having been called
out by a messenger. When he had dismissed the messenger, he retired to
his room. Here he found the wives and children of the Pastor, and his
two chaplains. Some of these children were being suckled, whilst others
were being examined in the Catechism and Prayer. When Master Philip saw
this, he stood still for a little while, looking on and listening with
great surprise as the little children are praying with stammering
tongues, and he thinks of the words of the Psalmist: "Out of the mouths
of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise." He is especially
moved by beholding the wife of one of the chaplains suckling one child,
and at the same time cutting turnips for her husband's dinner, whilst
another child is repeating its prayers to her. When Philip saw this, he
exclaimed: "Oh! what a holy and God-pleasing work!" He goes in again to
the Theologians, joyous and comforted. Dr. Luther asked him how he came
to enter so pleasantly, after having gone out in such sadness. Then
Melanchthon replied: "My clear Sirs, let us not be so faint-hearted, for
I have just now seen those who shall fight for us, who protect us, and
who are and shall remain invincible in all violence." Dr. Luther
inquired who these mighty heroes were? Philip replied: "The wives and
little children of our Pastor and his chaplains, whose prayer is now
heard, and which God will not leave unanswered, even as our faithful God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has not despised this their prayer
up to the present time." This filled the Theologians with great joy, so
that they remained firmly in the truth, and bore witness of the same.
And the result proved that faith and prayer will always gain the
victory. The Elector was pleased with these articles, and commissioned
Melanchthon to arrange them in a proper manner, and also to write an
introduction to them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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