a mostly german debate on conversion and salvation would be decisive; fortunately, however, wise authorities denied those wanting to be executed such a death. The authorities in Saxony were also wise in not enacting legislation of the Prussian type.779 In contrast to Jaspis, and with full knowledge of his opinions, Knauth relates how he and his colleague spoke to the delinquent Johann Gottlieb Lehmann on the road to his execution about several biblical passages and about the Saviour’s humiliating road to the cross. Knauth also, concerning Lk 23:43, rejected the interpretation of Jaspis and had used the passage to comfort Lehmann.780 The book of Knauth prompted Jaspis to a response, primarily listing everything he found wrong in the book, but he also defended the positions that Knauth had objected to, especially concerning priests accompanying delinquents, where he stated that this should apply in those rare cases when a delinquent showed signs of conversion.781 Jaspis also referred to arecent execution in Leipzig, where the singing choir had been abolished and the route to the execution site shortened, as a good example.782 One of authorities cited by Jaspis was a local clerical celebrity, the Oberhofprediger (leading preacher at the royal court)and former professor Christoph Friedrich von Ammon.783 Knauth, however, in his reply to the reply by Jaspis quoted what Ammon had said when he had met him June22nd 1825.Ammon mentioned a fundamental issue for all actions of judicial, ecclesiastical, or governmental authorities concerning both the executions and the crimes committed in order to be executed – the different aims and therefore actions emanating from theological and judicial perspectives. Those were wrong, according to Ammon, who wanted 779 Knauth 1825a p 36 sqq. ”Jeder Verständige weiß, daß nicht die Begleitung und Zusprache des Geistlichen, sondern die Gesinnung des Missenthäters die Himmels- und GnadenPforte öffnet! oder soll uns die Meinung des Unverständigen mehr gelten?”, Knauth 1825a p39. 780 Knauth 1825a p 43 sqq. 781 Jaspis 1825 p 4 sq. 782 Jaspis 1825 p 22. 783 Jaspis 1825 p 18. 212
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