# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1846 01 24_S44
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Some European brethren have attempted this, using for the purpose a German periodical which we at first supported, "Die Kirchenzeitung." But the American Germans are withdrawing, and the periodical will probably perish. The Columbus Seminary, in whose administration some recently arrived theologians gained the upper hand and wanted to make it almost exclusively German and Old Lutheran, was soon abandoned by the Americans, and is now suspended."

Gettysburg, Pa., November 10, 1845.

Dr. S. S. Schmucker, Professor of Theology at the seminary of the General Synod of the Lutheran Church at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Dr. B. Kurtz, editor of the "Lutheran Observer," at Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. H. N. Pohlmann, pastor of the Lutheran Church, at Albany, New York.

Dr. J. G. Morris, pastor of the First Lutheran Church, at Baltimore, Maryland.

Rev. H. J. Schmidt, professor at the seminary at Hartwick, in the State of New York.

(Submitted by Pastor Löber.)
Letters Concerning the Present Ecclesiastical Condition in Germany.

*) This correspondence reached us only after the article on Ronge had already been set in type. — The Editor.

Professor Dr. Guerike of Halle writes to me, among other things, under date of September 10 of last year, as follows: "The faster time now rushes forward, and the richer it is in events, the more difficult correspondence with you over there becomes — for me especially, who, burdened with manifold labors, can scarcely satisfy even my duties here to any degree. I therefore commend in advance to your indulgence both the length of my letter and the brevity of what it reports.

Everywhere here within Protestantism, theologians and preachers are now coming forward who most openly tear apart all connection with Christianity, and the people are accustomed to gather around them in countless throngs. So-called "Friends of Light" have for years held conventions in this spirit, especially in our region; and since I attended such a convention last year and gave a simple, factual report on it in the Evangelische Kirchenzeitung, this has become, as it were, the spark that fell into a powder keg. —

The whole of German Christendom and the world are stirred to their depths and split into two camps, one large and one small, between which a middle party has recently been carrying on its shallow machinations with some success. A Halle preacher, Wislicenus, whom I named specifically in that report, has openly rejected Holy Scripture, has brazenly denied the supernatural birth of our Lord Christ and everything miraculous, and has done away with the Apostles' Creed at baptism and everywhere else. When at last, after a year and a day, the church government stirred against him and removed him from his office, not only his entire congregation but also the whole local city council here intervened and took up the cause of this seducer. To this is added the great agitation within the Catholic church, since the shallow, unbelieving word of a priest, Ronge, has called into being hundreds of so-called "Christian Catholic" congregations, which in naked unbelief mostly even surpass the Protestant Friends of Light, and threaten to swallow up the somewhat Christian minority. The unbelievers within the Catholic church and those within the Protestant church make essentially common cause and pursue, with burning hatred, all who still wish to hold to Christian churchly truth. In many places there have already been riots; blood has already flowed, and no one who has a reputation for piety is secure in his property — one might almost say, in his life. These are the consequences of the Union, of which one can no longer become master! About all this, and about the attitude which the government of the fatherland is taking toward this confusion, an endless amount could be said and written; but where to begin and where to end? — Whoever still holds firmly to God's Word is, in this time, beginning to see through the curse of the Union, and the little flock of those now returning to the Lutheran confession is visibly increasing. Many, to be sure, still stand within the Evangelical territorial-church association, as for example the sixteen preachers at Neuhaldensleben, who have opposed, with an excellent printed declaration entirely on Lutheran ground and confession, the intrigues of the Friends of Light taking place in their region. Likewise many, and still many more, stand firm in the Mark, in Pomerania, etc. I do not doubt, however, that the time will soon come when all these dear confessors will be entirely forced out of the united church association and will also outwardly unite with the Lutherans of Prussia who are wholly separated from the Union. The latter, the so-called Silesian Lutherans, have just now obtained full toleration in Prussia. Their supreme church council is recognized; all Lutheran congregations under it are completely (?) free; all preachers of theirs who have been ordained by an ordained clergyman may administer their office — baptisms, weddings, etc. — completely undisturbed. Churches may be built, as many as they wish — only they are officially not to be called "churches," but houses of God or houses of prayer (!); the church government of the state church, however, is to have nothing whatsoever to do with those Lutherans," etc.

Here breaking off the above communication of Professor Guerike, and commending anew to the gracious and almighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the hopes he has expressed, together with all the distress and affliction of our dear fatherland's church, we add only, in closing, a few words from another letter, namely from the Evangelical Lutheran Pastor Zeidler of Comstädt in the Kingdom of Hanover, dated September 13, 1845:

After he had most heartily confessed to one and the same faith which he holds in common with us, and had, among other things, also assured us how, in God's hand, sympathy for our dear Lutheran church in North America continues to grow there in Germany, and is increasingly becoming a means of awakening and a bond of unity for the church of the fatherland, he continues thus: "You know the condition of Zion here in the fatherland. Our hearts are often ready to break over the misery of the city of God, and we then sit weeping beside her broken walls. We are greatly afraid, but we do not despair, even though the unbelieving heart is often close at hand. Yet the little springs of God still flow here and there in the church of God, and the precious Word of Christ still resounds from many a mouth. May the time soon come when the Lord, who once opened the heart of Lydia, will also open the hearts of our congregations, that they may no longer pass by the clear-flowing streams of water without refreshing their parched hearts [illegible]."

A Wicked Evasion.

It is a very common evasion of those who do not wish to accept some doctrine of the divine Word, that they first attribute it to a man and then, under his name, reject it as a mere human teaching. They behave exactly as though they too believed the words of Scripture, and as though they were only protesting loudly against having to submit to the authority of a fallible human being and accept a human, uncertain interpretation. By such a maneuver they hope to lead astray others as well — others who ought to notice that they do not submit themselves unconditionally to the Word of God. Thus, for example, many nowadays do not honestly come out and say that in their hearts they consider Christ a liar, or at least a thoughtless babbler, when he says, "This is my body, this is my blood"; instead, in order not to have to believe Christ, and yet remain in good standing among Christians, they say: "Oh, we do not belong to the Old Lutherans! We hold to the Bible! The symbolical books were written by men too!" When they have said that, they suppose they are excused before everyone for not taking Christ's words as they stand. Whether this excuse will also hold up before God someday — "Oh, I was no Old Lutheran" — remains to be seen.

False Faith.

In all false faith there is the working of Satan. As soon as a false faith and doctrine arises, the powers of Satan mingle with it and confirm it in the minds of men, so that they let themselves be burned for it as well; hence come the false martyrs, and this St. Paul calls "strong delusions." — Johann Arndt, Ikonographia, p. [illegible].

Paid:
1st Volume: Mr. H. Schmidt;
1st half of the 2nd Volume: Mr. Lich, S. Koch, Ch. Heise;
Mr. P. Krantz, Steinbrück.

[illegible — printer's ornament]

Printed by Weber and Olshausen.