In Germany to the Leipsic Disputation - James Aitken Wylie

Chapter 5
Luther as Priest, Professor,
and Preacher
LUTHER had been two years in the monastery,
when on Sunday, 2nd May, 1507, he was ordained
to the priesthood. The act was performed by
Jerome, Bishop of Brandenburg. John Luther, his
father, was present, attended by twenty horsemen,
Martin's old comrades, and bringing to his son a
present of twenty guilders. The earliest letter extant
of Luther is one of invitation to John Braun, Vicar
of Eisenach. It gives a fine picture of the feelings
with which Luther entered upon his new office.
"Since the glorious God," said he, "holy in all his
works, has deigned to exalt me, who am a wretched
man and every way an unworthy sinner, so
eminently, and to call me to his sublime ministry
by his sole and most liberal mercy, may I be
grateful for the magnificence of such Divine
goodness (as far at least as dust and ashes may) and
duly discharge the office committed to me."
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