Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/38

 For why should he not have the horn of Amdltheiaf^

Yours.

Spalatin.

10. JOHN LANG TO CONRAD MUTIANUS RUFUS.

Hekel: Manipulus primus epistohrum.

1698, p. 104. Enders, i. 36. (May 2, 1515.)

On May i, 1515, Luther was elected District Vicar of his order at the Chapter held at Gotha. On that occasion he delivered a rousing sermon against the vices of the monks, the sermon probably being that printed Weimar, i. 44, against backbiting. Cf. Kostlin-Kawerau, i. 122. The sermon attracted the attention of Mutian, and the next day Lang sent it to him with the following letter.

Conrad Muth, usually known as Mutianus Rufus (October 15, 1471- March 30, 1526), after attending school at Deventer matriculated he received a canonry at Gotha, where he spent the rest of his life in learned leisure, exercising great influence on the younger human* ists and teaching that all religions are essentially the same. His let- ters, published by K. Krause and K. Gilbert, life in Realencyclo- padie, and cf. P. S. Allen, op, cit, ii. 416. He did not join the Refor- mation and Luther considered his death, reported to be a suicide, as a judgment of God. Cf. Wrampelmeyer : Cordatus^ Tagehuch, no. 932.

You ask about that sharp orator who yesterday inveighed against the morals of those brothers who pass for little saints. He is Dr. Martin, with whom I have lived intimately at Erfurt, and who formerly helped me not a little in good studies. Our Spalatin venerates and consults him like Apollo. . ..

II. LUTHER TO GEORGE SPENLEIN AT MEMMINGEN.

Enders, i. 28. Wittenberg, April 8, 1516.

Spenlein was an Augustinian brother, who later became erangelical pastor at Amstadt, in whidi capacity Luther wrote him a letter, June 17, 1544- I^c Wette, V. 665.

Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord

when he returned to Basle. His principal works are: Enchiridion Militis Chris' iiani (1503), Enconium Moriag (15x1), Adagia (1500), an edition of the Greek New Testament (March, 15x6). Lires of him by A. J. Froude (1895) a^nd E. Emerton (1899). His influence on Luther was immense. Cf. especially: A. Meyer: Btndt criHqut des rilations d'trasme el dt Luther, Paris, 1909. iGreek.

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