which to buy the necessary meal, borrowed a Dollar from the Primate for that purpose. The cakes were made ; and having sent the Minister a large one for a Thank Offering, the Baker sold . the remainder and was able within a fortnight, to repay the loan. But the Minister having expected usury for even so small a sum and so short a period, and being a very passionate man, was greatly incensed against the poor Baker, and, cursing him, threatened condemnation to his soul. The poor Baker" returned home much dejected and in superstitious despair of his Salvation, and, his Wife being related to Jacob Boehme, told Jacob of the incident, and begged his intercession with the Primate, to whom Jacob at once, went and interceded with, offering compensation for any injury sustained. ,
The Primate, on hearing of Jacob's mission, in greaV' wrath, ordered jjim to leave the house, which order Jacob at once proceeded to obey, praying God to keep his Worship ; but he had scarcely reached the door of the room when his Worship, who appeared to have been angered at Jacob's goodness and humility, threw his shoe at him as he departed. Jacob at once picked it up, and with much reverence and humility laid it at the Primate’s feet, and with another prayer for his Worship departed, leaving him in a state of great anger.
The following Sunday the Primate reviled Jacob by name from the Pulpit, and informed the assembled and worshipping Council, much to their alarm, that unless Jacob Boehme were expelled from the City, God in His wrath will destroy it as He did those who withstood Moses and Aaron. To all of this , Jacob who was a regular worshipper at the Church, listened with patience ; and after the service, with much humility, asked the Primate in what manner he had offended ; but he only abused him and ordered him out of his sight.
The next morning Jacob was summoned to appear before the Council, who were in too much fear of the Primate to listen to * Jacob’s defence ; and they sentenced him to instant and perpetual banishment, without one moment’s farewell to his Wife and family. His reply was : “ Yes, dear Sirs, it shall be done, since it cannot be otherwise ; I am content,” and as one of his Biographers says, “he went out of the Town, spending the remainder of the day in a melancholy walk about the Town fields,
’ and the night i« what harbour we know/not.”
But the next morning the Councillors having somewhat recovered from theii* fear of the Primate, and considering that they had acted with undue severity against a man whose gentle bearing had evidently won their hearts, revoked the Sentence ; and sent for Jacob Boehme, who was brought back into the viii f ‘Prefatory {Memoir.
Town with honour. They, however, requested him to deliver up his Manuscripts, which he did ; and forbade him to write any more ; but, as a Shoemaker, to stick to his Last.
This occurrence, which was naturally much talked about, brought JACOB Boehme into general notice, and procured for hifii the friendship and — as his shoemaking business gradually declined — the pecuniary assistance of many clever and influential men of ithat time, including Doctors and Chemists, who were attracted by the “ Aurora ” : particularly of Dr. Walther, Director of the Chemical Laboratory at Dresden , who had travelled in the East, and who was so much attracted by Jacob's writings, that he came and stayed a,t his house for three months, so that he might enjoy his uninterrupted conversation. It was“this Dr. Walther who propounded the Forty Questions concerning the Soul which, with JACOB BOEHME’s replies — which were to the Doctor’s great satisfaction — were published with Boehme's other works. Another important friendship was that of Dr. Kober of Qoerlitz, who afterwards attended Jacob Boehme’s death-bed.
which to buy the necessary meal, borrowed a Dollar from the Primate for that purpose. The cakes were made ; and having sent the Minister a large one for a Thank Offering, the Baker sold . the remainder and was able within a fortnight, to repay the loan. But the Minister having expected usury for even so small a sum and so short a period, and being a very passionate man, was greatly incensed against the poor Baker, and, cursing him, threatened condemnation to his soul. The poor Baker" returned home much dejected and in superstitious despair of his Salvation, and, his Wife being related to Jacob Boehme, told Jacob of the incident, and begged his intercession with the Primate, to whom Jacob at once, went and interceded with, offering compensation for any injury sustained. ,
The Primate, on hearing of Jacob's mission, in greaV' wrath, ordered jjim to leave the house, which order Jacob at once proceeded to obey, praying God to keep his Worship ; but he had scarcely reached the door of the room when his Worship, who appeared to have been angered at Jacob's goodness and humility, threw his shoe at him as he departed. Jacob at once picked it up, and with much reverence and humility laid it at the Primate’s feet, and with another prayer for his Worship departed, leaving him in a state of great anger.
The following Sunday the Primate reviled Jacob by name from the Pulpit, and informed the assembled and worshipping Council, much to their alarm, that unless Jacob Boehme were expelled from the City, God in His wrath will destroy it as He did those who withstood Moses and Aaron. To all of this , Jacob who was a regular worshipper at the Church, listened with patience ; and after the service, with much humility, asked the Primate in what manner he had offended ; but he only abused him and ordered him out of his sight.
The next morning Jacob was summoned to appear before the Council, who were in too much fear of the Primate to listen to * Jacob’s defence ; and they sentenced him to instant and perpetual banishment, without one moment’s farewell to his Wife and family. His reply was : “ Yes, dear Sirs, it shall be done, since it cannot be otherwise ; I am content,” and as one of his Biographers says, “he went out of the Town, spending the remainder of the day in a melancholy walk about the Town fields,
’ and the night i« what harbour we know/not.”
But the next morning the Councillors having somewhat recovered from theii* fear of the Primate, and considering that they had acted with undue severity against a man whose gentle bearing had evidently won their hearts, revoked the Sentence ; and sent for Jacob Boehme, who was brought back into the viii f ‘Prefatory {Memoir.
Town with honour. They, however, requested him to deliver up his Manuscripts, which he did ; and forbade him to write any more ; but, as a Shoemaker, to stick to his Last.
This occurrence, which was naturally much talked about, brought JACOB Boehme into general notice, and procured for hifii the friendship and — as his shoemaking business gradually declined — the pecuniary assistance of many clever and influential men of ithat time, including Doctors and Chemists, who were attracted by the “ Aurora ” : particularly of Dr. Walther, Director of the Chemical Laboratory at Dresden , who had travelled in the East, and who was so much attracted by Jacob's writings, that he came and stayed a,t his house for three months, so that he might enjoy his uninterrupted conversation. It was“this Dr. Walther who propounded the Forty Questions concerning the Soul which, with JACOB BOEHME’s replies — which were to the Doctor’s great satisfaction — were published with Boehme's other works. Another important friendship was that of Dr. Kober of Qoerlitz, who afterwards attended Jacob Boehme’s death-bed.
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