Synopsis
This little manual of prayers herewith offered to English speaking Christians in their own language, has long been one of the treasures of the German people. With the exception of a few prayers, as hereinafter noted, it was originally written by one of God’s noblemen, by one who “lived and moved and had his being” in the things of the Kingdom of God. Dr. John Habermann (known also as Avenarius, Latinized form of Habermann) died 1590 as superintendent at Zeitz, was a famous preacher and a distinguished scholar of his day.
He was noted for his profound knowledge of oriental languages especially of the Hebrew. Still it is not this but the fact of his little prayer book that has endeared him to his fellow Christians. And this manual of prayers is the mature product of an inner life rich in the grace of God. On every page it bears the stamp of one for whom the communion with the eternal Father in heaven through the faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior, is a blessed reality. Nothing more natural therefore also than that he should “live and move and have his being” in the language of the Word of God. And this is quite apparent in his prayer language. God’s Word give him the terms to express his thoughts. Especially the Psalter, the prayer and hymn book of Israel, proves a veritable thesaurus of prayer terms and of these he makes a copious use.
Johann Habermann, also Johannes Avenarius (10 August 1516 – 5 December 1590) was a German Lutheran theologian.
In 1565, Habermann published his most important work, Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week, a prayer-book that assigned prayers for various Christian needs to the days of the week.
Translator: Emil H. Rausch
