a third part, which is largely a repetition of the second, apparently by another hand. The whole is supplied with abundant Scripture references, the Apocrypha being constantly quoted as Scripture. Its general theological position is in agreement with the Protestants of that time, except that a general atonement and the salvation of all infants dying in infancy in virtue of that atonement, is taught. In these views they stood over against all the other reformers of the time. Only a brief summary of its chief teachings can be given here, and is as follows:

Only those who truly repent are to be baptized; the candidate kneels while the administrator pours water upon him, repeating the words "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, who according to thy faith hath forgiven thee thy sins and drawn [thee] into his kingdom and accepted [thee], therefore sin henceforth no more so that no worse thing befall thee; baptism should be administered in the presence of the congregation since "the sins are remitted and forgiven the man in baptism, and the congregation has the key"; teaching and baptizing must not be done by all but only by those who have been called by the Lord and the congregation and set apart thereto; the choice is made by lot where more candidates are presented than are needed; ordination is in the presence of the congregation by the imposition of the hands of the elders; only those who have been tested are ordained.

The various officers of the church are apostles, bishops, pastors, helpers, rulers, elders-each of these classes having its own more or less distinct function;

The bread and wine of the supper are not the body and blood of Christ, but only reminders of his grace.

Community of goods is taught, because "communion of saints exists not only in spiritual but also in temporal things."

The true church is composed of true believers, separated from the world and ruled over by the Holy Spirit, where righteousness dwells; existing church buildings, having

been put to idolatrous uses ought to be pulled down and utterly destroyed-Anabaptists never enter them; nor do they have anything to do with priests since these were not called of Christ nor do they preach the gospel as is shown by their evil deeds and their lack of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Marriage must be entered into "according to God's direction"; woman being the weaker is under the yoke of the man who should provide for her in temporal and spiritual things; the ceremony should be in the presence of the congregation by a qualified minister of the word.

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"Magistracy is set up and ordained of God for a rod of his wrath wherewith to chastise and punish wicked, ruthless people... Therefore one should be obedient and subject to them as ordained of God . . . in so far as they do not act contrary to conscience or give commands against God... But when they command and act contrary to [the will of] God one must let their command remain unfulfilled and obey God rather than men, for the conscience is free and subject to God alone. . . Therefore wherever magistracy undertakes to attack the conscience and rule over the faith of men, it robs God of what belongs to him. Therefore it is improper to obey magistracy in such matters." Magistracy, wielding a worldly sword, is outside Christ. "Among Christians He alone will rule with his spiritual sword... God in Christ is alone king and overlord over his people . . . and as he is a spiritual king, so he also has spiritual ministers, wields a spiritual sword." In Christ's kingdom all are brethren on an equality in service, therefore "no Christian is a magistrate and no magistrate is a Christian, for the child of blessing can never be the minister of vengeance. Christian can rule over the world."

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Since Christ is the Prince of Peace who is building a peaceful kingdom, all earthly war ends in it. Therefore, no Christian may either carry on war or exercise vengeance, and whoever does so has either deserted and denied Christ or the manner of Christ."

"Since magistracy is ordained of God and its office commanded, it is also ordained and commanded to pay the taxes necessary to it. . . But for making war, executing

or shedding blood (when it is demanded especially for that purpose) we give nothing... that we make not ourselves partners in other men's sins."

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Since Christians must not use the sword, so they must not make it for others to use. Therefore we make neither swords, spears, guns, nor any weapons of this kind."

"In the matter of clothes we will make whatever ministers to the needs of our neighbors, but whatever ministers to pride and vainglory in dress we make for no man."

Christians should not go to law with one another. . . From which it follows that no Christian can act as judge, for Christians do not go to law" and a Christian can not judge those who are without.

Christians must not swear since it is forbidden by Christ and others.

Greeting, that is wishing well in God's name, must occur only between Christians, and must be given and received solemnly and in faith, not thoughtlessly. Otherwise it is sin.

Giving the hand and embracing are signs of unity and fellowship, and are therefore to be practiced only in the church. But brother must embrace brother and sister embrace sister. Brothers and sisters must not embrace each other, but only give the hand.

Prayer must be made with a right heart, in faith and according to the Spirit.

The singing of spiritual songs is pleasing to God when it is done at the impulse of the Spirit and attention is given to the words. "We permit no other than spiritual songs to be sung among us.

"Keeping holy day as the world keeps it is an abomination before God, because the wickedness and shame they can not do the rest of the week (on account of work) that they do on holy days. . . But we have one day of rest in which we handle and hear the word of God, and with it awaken our hearts to abide in the grace of God. Now because it is customary for all men to observe Sunday, we also keep the same day so as to give nobody offense; but not because anything depends on it nor because of any

commandment; for it is abolished in Christ (Col. 2c), but as was said [we keep it] to exercise ourselves in the word of God."

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Trading or merchandising is not permitted among us, because it is a sinful business. . . We permit nobody to buy in order to sell again. But one is suffered to buy for the needs of his house or hand-work so as to carry that on; also to sell and dispose of what one has made in his hand-work, we regard as not improper but right. But this alone we hold to be wrong, viz. when one purchases an article and then sells the identical article which he purchased, and takes from it his gain and thereby raises the price of the object for the poor and cuts off bread from their mouths."

Nor do we allow any one among us to become keeper of a public house, or to sell beer or wine, because all manner of unchaste, ungodly and corrupt doings take place there; and all drunken and worthless scoundrels congregate there and carry on their shameful deeds; to whom place must be given, their orders taken and their blasphemy heard. Therefore we do not believe it is permitted to one who fears God to hear and permit such blasphemy for the sake of money." We render free hospitality to strangers who are in need.

We do not permit drinking among us for "drinking is wicked at the root, no matter how it occurs, invented of the devil with which to catch men and draw them into his net, make them dependent on him and fall away from God, and lead them into all sin."

Meetings for one, two, or three days are held in preparation for each celebration of the Lord's Supper.

Children were not allowed to attend any but Anabaptist schools. As soon as they were weaned they were put in the care of "sisters" selected by the congregation, who taught them to talk, read, and write, using Scripture as much as possible; at five or six they were put under schoolmasters who continued to make religious instruction prominent; they remained with the schoolmaster

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till they were old enough to be taught to work at whatever they were fitted by nature to do.

They watch over each other, warn and admonish one another. Gross or incorrigible sinners are expelled. "When one is banned, we have nothing to do with him; avoid his company altogether, so that he may be made ashamed. But he is warned to repent, that he may be thereby moved the more rapidly to return to God." When he has genuinely repented, he is received back into the church. But, as one is received into the church at the beginning through a sign, baptism, so must he who has fallen away and been cut off from the congregation, be received through a sign, the imposition of hands; this must be done by a minister of the gospel, by which it is indicated that he is again a partaker in the grace of God and rooted therein."

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The true adornment of a Christian is not outward, but inward, as Peter says. Christians should not, therefore, indulge in expensive ornamentation, but avoid and shun it.

[END OF SECOND PART]

The third part, apparently written by another hand, is but a repetition in different form of some of the preceding articles, and is more polemical in spirit.

3. APPEAL TO THE LORDS OF LICHTENSTEIN

In 1545 persecution again threatened the brethren in Moravia. In order, if possible, to avert the impending calamity, they sent to the Moravian nobility Riedemann's Rechenschaft," and along with it the address which follows. It is found in Codex 215 in the library of the Pressburg Cathedral Chapter in MS form; also in a library at Grau, in MS, and is published in condensed form by Josef Beck, "Geschichtsbücher d. Wiedertäu