Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed as she listened. “A minister from Wittenberg…celebrating Communion in the castle chapel…three o’clock…” She could hardly believe her ears. Her mother had obviously grown bolder since last year, when Elizabeth had left home at seventeen to be married. She was hearing shocking things during her visit back home in Brandenberg castle. “Wait ‘til father gets home and I tell him!” she said to herself.

It was twelve years before that Luther had nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg, and the various princes in Germany had by now each declared openly whether he supported the Roman Catholic religion or the new Reformed faith.

Elizabeth’s father, the prince of Brandenberg, was Catholic. Her mother had quietly embraced Christ alone as her salvation from sin. Now, in her husband’s absence, she had dared to host a Protestant communion. right inside the castle.

Upon her father’s return, Elizabeth immediately reported to him all that had happened. In a fit of rage, he ordered his wife locked in her room and threatened her terribly during the following days. One night, with the help of three servants, the poor woman escaped from the castle, disguised as a peasant woman.

Not far from the castle, the wheel of her wagon broke. She jerked the strong linen scarf from her head and threw it to the driver, who used it to tie up the broken wheel and hurried on. They finally arrived safely at the castle of her uncle, who agreed to protect her.

When Elizabeth saw how her father treated her mother, she regretted what she had done, and begged her mother to forgive her, which she did.

A few years later, Elizabeth also received new life in Christ, and declared herself to be a Protestant, against her own husband’s wishes! But her husband died soon after that, whereupon she became the ruler of Brunswick and opened her realm to the faith of the Reformation.

By then, Elizabeth’s father had also died, and her brother, a Protestant, became prince of Brandenberg. Thus, Elizabeth’s mother had he joy of seeing her children open up two territories in Germany to the Gospel.