THE GERMAN MASS AND ORDER OF SERVICE
1526
This is not to say that those who are already provided with a proper Order, or by God’s grace can do better than I, shall abandon theirs and give place to ours. For it is not my thought that all Germany must immediately adopt our Wittenberg Order. It has never been so that all foundations,
monasteries and parishes had a uniformity of observance. But it would be well if in every jurisdiction public worship were uniform and neighboring towns and villages observed the same ceremonies as the city. Nor should there be any constraint or reproof if in other jurisdictions they wished to observe the same ceremonies or make additions of their own. In short, we do not introduce any Order for the sake of those who already are
Christians. They do not need them, for one does not live for such things.
But they live for our sake, who are not yet Christians, that they may make Christians out of us. Their worship is in the spirit.
We need such Orders for those who either must still become Christians or need to be strengthened, since a Christian does not need Baptism, the Word or the Sacrament as a Christian, — it is all his, — but as a sinner.
They are needed must read, sing, preach, write and compose, and if it would and must be drilled and trained in the Scriptures and God’s Word every day so that they may become familiar with the Scriptures, apt, well- versed and learned in them, enabled to defend their faith and in due time may teach others and help to increase the Kingdom of Christ. For their sake we must read, sing, preach, write and compose, and if it would help the matter along, I would have all the bells pealing, and all the organs playing, and let everything chime in that has a clapper. For this is the damnable thing in the papal services, that they have been changed into laws, works and merits to the utter destruction of faith.
Nor did they use them to educate the youth and the simple minded, to drill them in the Scriptures and God’s Word, but became so enmeshed in them as to regard them as themselves useful and necessary for salvation. That is the devil himself. The ancients did not institute nor order them with such intentions.
There are three kinds of services and masses. First the Latin, which we have published under the title: Formula missae. f222
This service I do not wish hereby to abrogate or change. As it has been in use by us hitherto, so shall it remain available for use where and when it pleases us or occasion calls for it. For I would in no wise banish the Latin tongue entirely from the Service, for the youth is my chiefest concern. If I
could bring it to pass and Greek and Hebrew were as familiar to us as the Latin, and offered as much good music and song, we would hold mass, sing and read on successive Sundays in all four languages, German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.
I am not at all in sympathy with those who cling to one language and despise all others. I would rather train the youth and folks who could also be of service to Christ in foreign lands and able to converse with the natives there, in order to avoid the experience of the Waldensians in Bohemia, f223 who confined their faith to one language so completely, that they cannot speak correctly and intelligently with anyone, unless he first learn their language. This was not the method of the Holy Spirit at the beginning. He did not tarry until all the world came to Jerusalem and studied Hebrew, but gave manifold tongues for the office of the ministry, so that the apostles could preach wherever they went. I would rather follow this example. It is proper that the youth should be trained in many languages, for who knows how God may use them in time to come. For this our schools have been established.
The Second is the German Mass and Order of Service, with which we are concerned here and which should be introduced for the sake of the simple laymen. These two Orders of Service must be used publicly, in the
churches, for all the people. For among them are many who do not believe and are not yet Christians. The greater part stands around and gapes, hoping to see something new, just as if we were holding a service among the Turks or the heathen in a public square or out in a field. For there is as yet no well-ordered and organized congregation here, in which the
Christians could be ruled according to the Gospel. Our Service is a public provocation to faith and to Christianity.
The third kind of Service which a truly Evangelical Church Order should have would not be held in a public place for all sorts of people, but for those who mean to be real Christians and profess the Gospel with hand and mouth. They would record their names on a list and meet by themselves in some house in order to pray, read, baptize, receive the Sacrament and do other Christian works. In this manner those who do not lead Christian lives could be known, reproved, reclaimed, cast out or excommunicated,
according to the rule of Christ in <401815>Matthew 18:15. f224 Here one could also establish a common benevolent fund among the Christians, which should be willingly given and distributed among the poor, according to the
example of St. Paul, <470901>2 Corinthians 9:1. The many and elaborate chants would be unnecessary. There could be a short, appropriate Order for Baptism and the Sacrament and everything centered on the Word and Prayer and Love. There would be need of a good brief catechism on the Creed, the Ten Commandments and the Our Father. In short, if one had the people and persons who wanted to be Christians in fact, the rules and regulations could easily be supplied.
But as yet I neither can nor desire to begin, or to make rules for such a congregation or assembly. I have not yet the persons necessary to accomplish it; nor do I observe many who strongly urge it. If
circumstances should force me to it and I can no longer refuse with a good conscience, I shall gladly do my part and help as best I may. In the
meanwhile the two kinds of service mentioned must suffice and I shall publicly help to foster, in addition to the preaching, such services for all the people as shall train the youth and call and provoke others to faith, until the Christians who take the Word seriously, find themselves and become insistent. If I should begin it by myself, it may result in a revolt. For we Germans are an untamed, crude, boisterous folk with whom one ought not lightly start anything except under the compulsion of a very great need.
Let us to it, in God’s Name. First, the German Service needs an easily understood, plain, simple catechism. Catechism means instruction, in which heathen who want to be Christians are taught and directed in what they should believe, do, omit to do, and know in the Christian religion. For this reason beginners, who were admitted to such instruction and studied the Creed before they were baptized, were called Catechumenos. This instruction or direction I know not how to put in a clearer or better way than has been done since the beginning of Christendom and retained to our own day, namely in these three, the Ten Commandments, the Creed and the Our Father. These three contain, simply and briefly, about everything a Christian needs to know. This instruction must be given, as long as there is no special congregation, f225 from the pulpit at stated times or daily as may be needed, and repeated or read aloud evenings and mornings in the homes for the children and the servants, if we want to train them as Christians.
They should not merely learn to say the words by heart, as heretofore, but with each part they should be asked questions and give answer, what each part means and how they understand it. If everything cannot be covered at once, one part should be taken up and the next day another. For if the parents and guardians of youth will not take the pains to do this themselves
or secure others to do it, there will never be a catechism, unless it should come to pass that separate congregations were organized, as stated above.
They should be questioned like this: What do you pray? Answer: The Our Father. What does it mean when you say, Our Father in heaven? Answer:
That God is not an earthly but a heavenly Father who would make us rich and blessed in heaven. What does this mean: Thy Name be hallowed?
Answer: That we should honor His Name and keep it from being profaned.
How is His Name dishonored and profaned? Answer: When we, who should be His children, live evil lives and teach and believe what is wrong.
And so on, what the Kingdom of God means; how it comes; what God’s Will is; what Daily Bread means; etc.
So in the Creed; What do you believe? Answer: I believe in God the Father, to the end. Thereafter one part after the other as time permits, one part or two at once. For instance; What does it mean to believe in God the Father Almighty? Answer: It means to trust in Him with all the heart and with assurance to expect all grace, favor, help and comfort from Him in time and in eternity. What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ His Son?
Answer: It means to believe in the heart that we would all be eternally lost if Christ had not died for us, etc.
Likewise in the Ten Commandments; one must ask, What does the first Commandment mean, the second, the third and the other Commandments?
These questions can be taken from our Betbuechlein f226 where the three chief parts are briefly explained, or one can follow his own method, until all Christian teaching is summed up for the heart in two portions, as it were two pouches, which are faith and love. Faith’s pouch may have two purses.
Into the one we put this, that we believe that through the sin of Adam we are all corrupt, sinners, and under condemnation, <450512>Romans 5:12,
<195107>
Psalm 51:7. Into: the other purse we put this, that we are all saved through Jesus Christ from such corruption, sin and condemnation,
<450518>Romans 5:18, <430316>John 3:16. Love’s pouch may also have two purses.
One shall contain this, that we should serve and do good to; everyone, even as Christ hath done for us, <451308>
Romans 13:8; the other shall have this, that we should suffer and endure all kinds of evil with joy.
When a child begins to understand this, it should be encouraged to bring home Scripture texts from the sermons and repeat them at meal-time for the parents, as was formerly the custom with the Latin lesson. Then those texts should be put into the pouches and purses just as the Pfen-nige,
Groschen or Gulden are put into the pockets. For instance: let faith’s pouch be the golden pouch. Into the first purse this text shall go,
<450512>Romans 5:12 Through one man’s sin all men are sinners and have
passed under condemnation. Also this one, <195107>Psalm 51:7. I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. These are two Rhenish Gulden f227 for this purse. The Hungarian Gulden f228 go into the other purse, as this text, <450425>Romans 4:25 Christ was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised again for our justification. Again, <430129>John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, that beareth the sin of the world. These are two precious Hungarian Gulden for that purse.
Let love’s pouch be the silver pouch. Into the first purse shall go the texts concerning welldoing, such as <480513>Galatians 5:13 Through love be servants one to another. <402540>Matthew 25:40 What ye have done unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done unto Me. They would be two silver Groschen for that purse. Into the other purse shall go this text,
<400511>Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall persecute you for my
sake. <581206>Hebrews 12:6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. These are two Schreckenberger
f229 for that purse.
Let none think himself too wise for this and despise such child’s play.
Christ, in order to train men, must needs become a man himself. If we wish to train children, we must become children with them. Would to God such child’s play were widely practiced. In a short time we would have a wealth of Christian people, souls becoming rich in Scripture and the knowledge of God, until they would, of their own accord add more of such purses as Locos communes f230 and comprehend all Scripture in them. Otherwise things will remain as they have been, a daily going to church and a coming away again. For no one thinks that it makes any difference except for the time it takes. No one expects to learn anything there. A man listens to preaching three or four years and does not learn enough to give answer concerning one article of the Creed; this I know from daily experience.
Enough is written in the books, yes; but it has not been driven home to the hearts.
CONCERNING THE SERVICE
Since the chief and greatest aim of any Service is to preach and teach God’s Word, we have arranged for sermons and lessons as follows: For the
holy day or Sunday we retain the customary Epistles and Gospels f231 and have three sermons. Early at five or six o’clock a few Psalms are chanted for Matins. A sermon follows on the Epistle of the day, chiefly for the sake of the servants, so that they too, may be cared for and hear God’s Word, if perchance they cannot be present at the other sermons. After this an antiphon and the Te Deum or the Benedictus, alternately, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, Collect and Benedieamus Domino. f232
At the Mass, f233 at eight or nine o’clock there is preaching on the Gospel appointed for the day. At Vespers in the afternoon there is preaching before the Magnificat, on the Old Testament, taken in proper order. The customary Epistles and Gospels of the various days of the year are retained by us because there is nothing specially censurable in this custom. This is the arrangement at Wittenberg at the present time when many are here f234 who must learn to preach in the places where the system of Epistles and Gospels still is and may remain in vogue. Since in this matter we can be of service to others without loss to ourselves, we have made no change, without thereby implying any criticism of those who would take the complete books of the Evangelists in hand. This, we think, provides sufficient preaching and teaching for the layman; he who desires more, will find an abundance on the other days.
On Monday and Tuesday, early, we have a German lesson on the Ten Commandments, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism and the Sacrament, so that these two days shall preserve the Catechism f235 and deepen its understanding. On Wednesday, early, again a German lesson for which the Evangelist Matthew has been appointed, so that the day shall be his very own, especially since he is an excellent evangelist for the
instruction of the congregation, reports the great sermon of Christ on the mount, and strongly urges the exercise of love and good works. The Evangelist John, who is so mighty in teaching faith, has his own day, too, on Saturday afternoon at Vespers. In this way we have a daily study of two evangelists. Thursday and Friday bring us, early in the morning, the
weekday lessons from the Epistles of the Apostles and the rest of the New Testament. Thus enough lessons and sermons are appointed to give the Word of God free course among us. Then there are still the lectures given in the university for the scholars.
To exercise the boys and pupils in the Bible, this is done. Every day of the week they chant a few Psalms in Latin, before the Lesson, as customary at
Matins hitherto. For we want to keep the youth in the knowledge and use of the Latin Bible, as was said above. f236 After the Psalms a chapter from the New Testament is read in Latin by two or three of the boys in
succession, depending on its length. Another boy then reads the same chapter in German, for the exercise, and for the benefit of any layman who might be present. Thereupon they proceed with an antiphon to the German lesson mentioned above. After the lesson the whole assembly sings a German hymn, the Lord’s Prayer is said secretly, the pastor or chaplain reads a collect, closing with the Benedicamus Domino f237 as usual.
At Vespers they chant a few of the Vesper Psalms in the same manner as heretofore in Latin with an antiphon, followed by a hymn, if one be available. Two or three of the boys, one after the other, again read a chapter in Latin from the Old Testament, or half a chapter, depending on the length. Another boy reads the same chapter in German, the Magnificat follows in Latin with an antiphon or hymn, the Lord’s Prayer, said secretly, and the Collects with the Benedicamus. This is the daily week-day Service in the cities where there are schools.
THE SUNDAY SERVICE FOR THE LAITY
We allow the vestments, altars, and candles to remain in use until they are used up or it pleases us to make a change. But we do not oppose anyone who would herein do otherwise. In the true Mass, however, of real Christians, f238 the altar could not remain where it is and the priest would always face the people as doubtless Christ did in the last Supper. But let that await its own time.
To begin the Service we sing a hymn or a German Psalm in the first Tone
f239 after this manner:
I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof and be glad, etc. f240
Then follows the Kyrie Eleison in the same Tone, three times and not nine times: f241
Kyrie Eleison. Christe Eleison. Kyrie Eleison.
Thereupon the priest reads a Collect in F faut in monotone f242 as follows: