# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 10 10_S25
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.

"God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall to eternity endure." Rev. of John, Chap. 14, v. 6, 7.

Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.

Edited by C. F. W. Walther.

Volume 11.  St. Louis, Mo., October 10, 1854.  No. 4.

Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks, at the annual subscription price of One Dollar for subscribers living out of town, who are to pay in advance and bear the postage. — In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 cents.

Only letters containing communications for the paper are to be sent to the editor; all others, containing business matters, orders, cancellations, money, etc., are to be sent here under the address Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

The Anabaptists at Münster.

By Dithmar.

(Continuation.)

There was one named Bernhart Knipperdolling, from a good and wealthy family at Münster, a man of open mind, but very dissolute and dreadfully impudent and malicious. Formerly, on account of his blaspheming the bishop (at that time a Count of Wied), whom he always called the Spindle-turner, he had had to leave Münster; already in the year 1524 he became an Anabaptist and went with two furriers, who likewise belonged to this sect, to Sweden, and was banished from there also on account of his evil conduct; and after he had knocked about the world elsewhere besides, he now appears, at the right time, again in his native city. He now became a ringleader of the mad band.

Although matters at the end of the year 1533 had been settled, and Knipperdolling himself had helped to arrange the peaceful truce, yet he and Rottmann secretly sent letters to the surrounding towns, in which they exhorted all who were of their opinion to leave behind everything they had and betake themselves with wife and child to them at Münster; for each should receive as much again from them for everything he left behind him. By such promises many were stirred up to leave their dwellings and to go to Münster, where they would all be made rich, especially the poor, who had nothing to lose at home. At this the citizens in Münster who had some means were not highly pleased, and when they saw that their city was daily more flooded with strange rabble, they gradually withdrew, taking with them their ready money and whatever they could reasonably carry off, and so left the city to the Anabaptists. That happened about Shrovetide.

But after the most prominent citizens had withdrawn and the power of the Lutherans was greatly weakened, the Anabaptists went further, elected a new council out of their own following, and made Knipperdolling and Gerhard Reifenbach the new burgomasters. These new burgomasters began their administration in this wise. On the Monday before Invocavit they commanded that the Abbey of St. Maurice outside the city be attacked, the houses of all the canons set on fire and burned, and everything that was found in the church and elsewhere in that place be given up to plunder. Thereupon they ran through all the streets of the city and cried: Repent and depart hence, all ye godless, or ye must all die the death. Thereupon one ran here, another there, with firearms, halberds, spears and poles, and compelled the honest people to go out; and neither the aged nor pregnant women nor weak children were spared by the raving men. Thus they drove out all who did not take their part, but their goods — and that was what they were after — they quickly seized into their own power. But the fugitives had enemies behind them and enemies before them, for the bishop's soldiery, which was advancing to besiege the city, regarded those leaving as enemies, and so a number of pious Lutheran preachers were put to the sword without further ado. Wirtheim sat a prisoner in the city, but was nevertheless begged free by the Landgrave. The remaining people in Münster, however, were in sore distress. If they fled, they fell into the hands of the bishop's horsemen, and were beheaded. If they stayed where they were, they were in Knipperdolling's hand, who could do with them what he would. Many remained in the city and thought of their lot with trembling.

On the Wednesday of the first week in Lent the bishop besieged the city, to which end the Landgrave of Hesse had sent him two strong companies of foot, and a squadron of horse, also cannon, powder, balls and gunners. The Elector of Saxony also sent a company to this host. Now there was in Münster the chief prophet Johann Matthies of Haarlem, who boasted of special revelations and said that whatever he commanded, that God commanded from heaven, and it must be