The Church Order written by Chemnitz, give special attention to caring for the needy. The dutchy of Braunschweig-
Woelfenbuettel became Lutheran in 1569, when Duke Julius succeeded his father. M.H.
The First Chapter.
Through Which Process a Communal Treasury May Be Instituted, and What Revenue It Should Have, etc.
First, from regular and continuous income should be put together, and placed into one box everything, which until now has been used for vigils, eternal lights, wax, and oil; likewise, what income the saints, the workshops, gifts, foundations, donations, brothers, trusteeships, and so forth may have.
Secondly, for irregular and incidental income, one should first of all, at all festivals and Sundays, collect the alms in the church, before or after the sermon, as it is most suitable in each town, with the little sack.
Also, in front of each church door, there should be an honorable man with a tray or bowl, to receive alms, standing and waiting, so that from those, who find it more convenient to give their alms that way, than to give it into the little sack, it may be received, and many may be that much more motivated to help the poor.
Likewise, some people should be appointed, who go on Sundays and Wednesdays through all the streets, to receive and gather alms, of whom each should carry by hand a locked box, in which to receive money, and on their backs a basket or barrel, to collect therein bread or other items, and in the other hand a bell or cymbal, so that many may be motivated to give alms. And what they thereby collect, in mo
ney, bread, or other items, they should hand over entirely to the appointed custodians immediately for the support of the above-mentioned alms-institutes.
And so that not only the citizens and residents, but also the foreign guests, may extend their help and donations for the support of such almsgiving, a pole should be set up in, or in front of, the church, and be outfitted with a board hanging from it, and its image should admonish everyone to donate; also, in the taverns a locked box should be hung on the wall next to the last table, and an explanation about giving holy alms be painted, and the innkeepers be commanded especially to faithfully encourage their guests to contribute and donate. The appointees should open these same boxes and bowls every Saturday in the major cities, and in the other cities and places every month, according to each city’s and town’s situation, toward evening, and the money be handed over to the custodians, and they should close them again.
Also, at harvest time, the pastors should diligently admonish their listeners, that they would make a generous donation to the poor from the blessings which they have received from God.
Likewise, at weddings, in churches, when one has consecrated the marriage, a cup should be set out in the church by the treasury custodian or by the sexton, and the wedding guests be encouraged and admonished, by the church-worker who has blessed the marriage, to contribute something to the poor, and the same should be received by the treasury custodian, and carefully noted and counted.
In the same way, when one congregates for a funeral, or in other ways, at the church, the congregations should always be admonished to give something for the poor into the cup.
Likewise, our judges and town chroniclers, before whom wills and testaments are prepared, and likewise the pastors and deacons, should also with the greatest diligence admonish the sick and dying persons dictating, such who are wealthy, and do not have especially poor offspring or other family heirs, to a will and mild donation in the poor treasury.
Likewise, the fees for ringing the bells, which happens after someone has died.
Likewise, something from the fines or penalties for crimes should be given into the poorbox.
Likewise, if in cities or places, the alms for supporting the needy should run out, the custodians for the poor should especially speak to the rich, who have a good deal of wealth, and seek them.
Likewise, during good times, if extra money be at hand, to buy up fruit and other food as a supply for the poor.
If the treasury and spital [an institution for care for the needy] cannot be brought together, but need to remain separate and apart from each other, but the hospital or home is able to add something into treasury, they should come to the aid of the poor treasury. In general, each institution for caring for the poor should lend a hand to the other.
But if a village or place were so impoverished, or if they had so many poor people, that they could not be maintained in their area, but other towns in the same administrative region have the means or fewer or even no poor people, then the other places with means should come to the aid and help of the poor places with their alms; so that therefore it should be understood by the seat of the same administrative region, so that in all ways, to whatever extent is every possible, equality and support of the poor may be maintained.
The Second Chapter.
To Whom One Should Give from the treasury, Advise, and Help, and also How the same Should Maintain Themselves, etc.
First, to Those Who Are Burdened by Severe Poverty, Age, or Serious Illness.
One must give help to many, who are burdened by very severe poverty, age, or otherwise by severe bodily illness to such an extent, that they can no longer work or serve, and fill their days piously with loyal work or service. If then such poor people are in a city, where there is a spital, they should, in consideration that this same spital was founded only for the comfort such poor people be accepted into this spital and maintained therein according to the situation. But in cities or villages, where such poor people are, but no spital, they should be put up by the community, and then they should be helped by the community, and by the poorbox of the same town, as far as the possibilities of that treasury can bear. But if, because of the treasury’s inability, the help from it does not go far enough, as the needs of the poor, then the community with its donations should give and help, and the preachers should admonish the people, to share their daily donations and alms with such pious poor, so that the poorbox is not overburdened, but rather in essence all the more apt for an unfortunate mishap, and may remain for the poor a backup and comfort, and no less provision be made for the poor in their needs, who should then remain free of the beggar’s mark.
The Homeless
Those who are homeless, who have wife a children, who piously maintain themselves with faithful work or service for the common good or to another task, where they are needed, and still -- especially in difficult times -- are not able to care for themselves or break even, who gladly want to work and serve, but do not have opportunity to work or serve -- they should be given, for God‘s sake according to their poverty and persons, by the poorbox or the daily alms which are collected, support and handouts, without hope of any repayment or restitution. These people, especially the elderly, whether man or woman, should continually wear the symbol of the city in which they live, with them on the front of their clothing, publicly and clearly, so that everyone can see, to whom such is to be given. But the elderly should receive the alms and help themselves, and not send their children to get it, but rather raise and maintain the children to work, so that they in their youth become all the less accustomed to begging.
But such poor, before and prior to receiving such alms, should be earnestly warned and admonished by the officials and judges, to refrain from all gambling, boozing, taverns, secretly or openly, useless wastefulness, laziness, and idleness; but rather, to keep themselves domestically, diligently, thriftily, piously, essentially, and to God’s Word and honor, and also to instruct and raise their children in this. If then, however, one of these is found at the gambling table, or otherwise in taverns, publicly or secretly, or if they, their wives, or children are loafing, without working or serving, when they were capable of having and receiving daily work or service with fitting payment - for this type of thing, the officials, judges, councillors, all sworn deputies, and especially the city’s civil servants, commissioners of beggars, and mayors should be especially attentive. For anyone, for whom this situation presents itself, the first time, the man should be penalized and punished in the tower cellar for three days and nights, the woman in the same situation, have her alms withheld for eight days; for a second offense, the man penalized and punished in jail for eight days, and the woman in a women’s prison three days; and for the third offense, be expelled with wife and children from the territory, for themselves a well-earned punishment, and thereby for others such an example for the eyes to take in, that others may know to guard themselves against the same, all according to the situation and conditions of the persons and matters involved. These penalties shall not be omitted or drawn out by our officials and judges, but rather should be undertaken swiftly against the trespassers. For where it is maliciously observed by them, until the poor pass into old age, or otherwise encounter physical disability, we intend to engage a fitting intervention against these same negligent officials and judges, so that the poor treasury does not pay for their negligence. But where there are such homeless people, and children, dwell, who would gladly work and serve, and cannot find work or service for themselves, then the officials and judges should direct them to work and service, whether it be for the common good, or for special persons, or for a privately-owned and registered estate; or otherwise help them, so that in all ways, idleness is prevented, and they not become lazy, and the poorbox is the less burdened by them.
In the third place are those who are not burdened with deep poverty, but rather have a little something, or the impoverished handworker, who cannot begin or carry out his craft without help and an order. One must, for God’s sake, generously lend to and sponsor them, expecting repayment, as they manage to accomplish a change over time, according to what the (poor)box can handle, and the situation of the persons. And they should not be burdened with the beggar’s mark for compelling reasons.
In the fourth place, in times of rising prices, those who without great disadvantage cannot sell their wares; one should, according to the ability of the treasury, and the needs of the persons, sponsor and lend to them, expecting repayment.
In the fifth place, one should, in each city or village, where one holds Latin school, send some poor boys to school, funded by alms, according to the ability of the city or village, or at least give them weekly support.
Poor Fatherless Orphans.
In the sixth place, one should, with the greatest diligence, help poor fatherless orphans into skilled crafts, schools, honor, and households, with the added exhortation to repay if their hand gets long enough.
In the seventh place, in times of the need of death, and also otherwise as often as poor menservants and maidservants and other foreigners are suddenly stricken and become ill, or are burdened with impetigo and other serious illnesses, and not able to live on their own, and also obtain no support from their lords and ladies: they should be supported, treated, and properly maintained by the community’s alms or the spittals, until they regain their health to a reasonable extent, and yet the lords and ladies should be additionally admonished by the treasurer, that they should at least render some aid and assistance to them, in view of the fact that they fell ill in their service.
To conclude this chapter, we desire also hereby to have seriously admonished and entreated all of our subjects, poor and rich, that they bring themselves, along with their children and domestic servants, with all diligence to preaching and especially to the catechism, which one calls preaching and questions for children, to hear and learn God’s Word; and chiefly, that those who are offered a hand from the poorbox, the men bringing the boys with them, and the women bringing the girls with them, would lead them themselves to children’s teaching themselves, and miss none of these without honorable reason, under threat of losing the help from the common treasury‘s help, or other punishment, according to the transgression. Also, if the lords and ladies, for selfish gain, do not hold their servants and maids to preaching and catechesis, they should, if their servants and maids fall ill, have further to maintain the sick with help and assistance, be punished according to the nature of the circumstances.
Trans. Harrison/Smith/Corzine
to the hearth and their hearts. Bach's certainly that too - despite the most complex fugue, or the high brow if immensely popular "Brandenburg Concertos." The three full church year cycles of cantatas we have are the most moving conjunction of text and tune in all of Christian history, nay, human history. One must enjoy the "Coffee Cantata" or the "Tobacco Cantata" to see playful side of Bach. Music was home in high mass at St. Thomas's and at in every other room of Bach's home, adjacent on the square. Still the "beer fiddlers" remain, thank God.
(Trance Encounter: A visit with hypnotic bluesman Otis Taylor, in The Fretboard Journal; Winter 2009, p. 45ff.). The horrid pain of the grossest injustice and racism produced a sound that has been the epitome of joy - that's the cruciform connection in bluegrass. Scruggs settled on a Gibson Mastertone Banjo - pre-WWII instruments are the creme-de-la-creme to this day, for one reason: these instruments have the potential, in the right hands, to have that exploding, deep, clear, ringing "Scruggs sound."
nion of Lutherans and Reformed. Kilian was a great Lutheran, and founder of confessional Lutheranism in Texas. M.H.
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