Der Kleine Catechismus
It was 1529. Father Christopher
of Hermannsburg, in the kingdom of Hanover (that's in Germany), was seated at
his desk, looking over the pages of his Missal.
"The Fourth Sunday in Advent," he read. There was a loud
knocking at the door that interrupted the priest in his preparations for the
service. The rapping was insistent, and
a voice called, "Father Christopher!" "Yes, coming!" was
muttered impatiently.
As he opened the door a young
man, dressed in the plain clothing of a mechanic's helper, stepped in. A wintery blast filled the room along with a
small cloud of snowflakes. This young man explained that he was on his way to
Hanover because he had been promised work there. And knowing the hospitality of
Father Christopher, he made this bold attempt to ask for food and shelter for
the night.
This is how young William Hauser
was introduced to his host. After he finished eating he began to read from a
small book he had in his jacket pocket.
The priest asked, "You are able to read?" And with a gentle
smile, William admitted that he was adept at this rare art. (Can you imagine
not being able to read?) "And what
might you be reading?" inquired the priest. Holding the book up to the light, the title
was revealed, Der Kleine Catechismus.
"What kind of book is this? Who has written it? And, where did you get it?"
the priest grilled young William.
"Dr. Martinus of Wittenberg
has written it, and I obtained it from a friend, to whom I am to return
it. It was printed earlier in the year
by Conrad Treffer at Erfurt. The book is so much sought after that the printers
cannot supply enough copies, and my friend transcribed it with his own hand."
After a pause, William asked, "What do you think of it?"
The priest didn't answer, but
asked to read it, that very night. In
the morning the priest confessed to young William, "My good Hauser, I must
tell you that this little catechism has strangely affected me. You must let me
make a copy of it. I have heard about
this strange monk who has challenged the emperor and Pope, and I considered him
a common heretic and a destroyer of the Lord's vineyard. But heretic or not,
blessed are the hands which have written this book, and blessed are those who
believe its teachings."
Days lengthened into weeks and
William's health declined, but the priest helped him get better, and in return
the young man strengthened the spirit of the priest. William would speak of the powerful sermons
of Luther; of the thousands going to Wittenberg to hear Luther; of Luther's
translation of the New Testament into German; and of the new hymns of the
Reformation Church that were being sung in schools and churches, shops, homes,
and market places.
One day the priest
asked William, "Does not this monk dread the wrath of his enemies? Is he
not under the curse of the Pope and the ban of the emperor? Does he dare move
among the people?"
William replied, "You may
not believe it, but Brother Martinus associates with uttermost freedom with
people of every station. His study is never without its visitors, and his
lecture room is always crowded with strangers from England and Scotland,
Denmark and Bohemia. Brother Martinus relies on protection from a power much
higher than the Elector of Saxony."
Soon after William was on his
way, and now Father Christopher began to study the catechism. He also wrote and received a copy of Luther's
New Testament translation and some of his sermons. It was not long before the
priest became convinced that he had been an unfaithful shepherd of Christ's
flock. He became sad about all the
things he had failed to teach his people about the redeeming blood of Christ.
And it came true in his case and many others, that which he now believed as the
very truth of God he began preaching to his people---in their language. He invited young and old to receive
instruction in his new-found text---Luther's Catechism.
But the enemy of truth was not
willing to give up and accept this new way of teaching. Mobs roamed the countryside disrupting
services. Father Christopher's services were rudely broken up and at his
bishops orders, soldiers were stationed at the church to prevent him from
holding services. Meetings were broken
up in the homes and businesses of his church members. The faithful began meeting in the forest,
usually at night, but eventually they were found out. Father Christopher and
his congregation were arrested, thrown in jail, and hounded to give up their
new convictions.
How this might end, no one can
tell, but the hour of freedom was already striking. Duke Ernst of Lueneburg announced his
decision that throughout the land religious freedom should prevail. With other faithful pastors, Pastor
Christopher returned to his station and for many years worked as an evangelical
shepherd. The visit of the young man looking for a place to spend the night,
started an event in Advent 1529 that bore fruit a thousand fold.
Adapted from The
Story of the Catechism by Th. Graebner. Copyright © 1928 Concordia
Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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