GHDI logo

Definition and Demarcation – Conrad Grebel and Others to Thomas Müntzer (September 5, 1524)

page 5 of 5    print version    return to list previous document      next document


Count us as your brethren, and take this our letter as our confident expression of great joy and hope toward you through God. Exhort, comfort, and strengthen us, as you are well able to. Pray God the Lord for us that He may come to the aid of our faith, for we do desire to believe. And as God enables us to pray we will also intercede for you and for all, that we may all walk according to our calling and state. God grant us this through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Greet for us all the brethren, the shepherds and the sheep, who receive the word of faith and salvation with desire and hunger, etc.

One thing more. We are eager for a reply from you. And if you publish anything, send it to us with this messenger or others. We are also eager to learn whether you and Carlstadt are of one mind. We hope and believe that you are. We commend to you this messenger, who has also transmitted letters from us to our beloved brother Carlstadt. And if you should visit Carlstadt, and you could jointly reply, it would afford us hearty joy. The messenger plans to return to us. Whatever we have not adequately paid him will be made up at his return.

God be with us!

Whatever we have not rightly understood, inform and instruct us.

Zürich, September 5, 1524.

Conrad Grebel, Andrew Castelberg, Felix Manz, John Ockenfuss, Bartholomew Pur, Henry Aberly, and others of your brethren in Christ, if God will, who joined in writing this to you, wish for you and all of us, until we write again, the true Word of God, and true faith, love, and hope, with all peace and grace from God through Christ Jesus, Amen.

To the true and faithful Proclaimer of the Gospel Thomas Mützer of Altstett am Hartz, our true and loving fellow-brother in Christ, etc.



Source of original German text: Quellen zur Geschichte der Täufer in der Schweiz, edited by Leonard von Muralt and Walter Schmid. Volume 1. Zurich: S. Hirzel Verlag, 1952, pp.13-19.

Source of English translation: Anabaptist Beginnings: A Source Book, edited by William R. Estep Jr. Nieuwkoop: B. De Graaf, 1976, pp. 31-37. Note: paragraph breaks were added by the GHI staff.

first page < previous   |   next > last page