# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1855_S125
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

125

(Submitted by Pastor Keyl.)

On the Original Form of Dr. Luther’s Small Catechism *)

An overview of the original Lutheran order of worship was previously given in our “Lutheraner,” and attention was drawn to the original text of the Bible in Hopf’s edition. **) This is now followed by a reference to the original form of the Small Catechism. This subject should certainly attract the attention not only of pastors and schoolteachers, but of all Lutherans, since in teaching and learning the Catechism it must be highly desirable to have a reliable text as a firm foundation. Strangely enough, however, such a text has continued to be lacking up to the present, for the various editions of this little book contain so many textual differences that until now no one could know which was the genuine and correct text. This can be seen most clearly in the holy Lord’s Prayer, which one person prays in one way and another differently, thereby greatly disrupting devotion during communal prayer.

Dr. Luther himself, in his preface to the Small Catechism, faithfully warned against varying texts and earnestly recommended the use of a single text, for there he says:

“Above all, the preacher should take care to avoid various or different texts and forms of the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, the Sacrament, etc.; instead, he should choose one form, remain with it, and teach it consistently, year after year. For the young and simple people must be taught with one fixed text and form; otherwise they are very easily confused if one teaches it one way today and another way next year, as though one wished to improve it, and thus all effort and labor are lost. The dear fathers understood this well, for they all used the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments in one form. Therefore, we too should teach these parts to the young and simple people in such a way that we do not change a single syllable or present and recite them one way one year and differently the next. Therefore, choose whichever form you wish and remain with it forever.”

For the restoration of the original form of the Small Catechism, the Lutheran Church has in recent years received two exceedingly valuable contributions, whose titles are as follows:

1. The First Edition of Luther’s Small Catechism. In a Low Sax-

*) This essay had previously been submitted for the “Lutheraner,” but will probably find a better place here. L. u. W.
**) Vol. 5, No. 16 ff.