# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_September 1855_S259
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

How Are Truly Lutheran Congregations Founded, etc. 259

a failing more closely or remotely connected with upbringing, habit, occupation, office, age, or sex; and he also needs the same enlightenment in order rightly to understand the distinctive personality of each person entrusted to his care, according to temperament, understanding, and character, so that in this respect too he may discern the spirits. The Holy Spirit must then bring to his mind what medicine of doctrine, reproof, or comfort he is to apply, directly or indirectly, from the inexhaustible pharmacy of Holy Scripture, according to the nature of the evil. Besides such knowledge and wisdom—since, sadly, almost always and everywhere there is far more need to reprove than to comfort—the Holy Spirit must also give him a cheerful and confident courage of heart against the assaults of the fear of man, so that, without respect of persons and scorning human favor and honor, he may bravely wield the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Finally, the Holy Spirit Himself must comfort him through His Word when, as time goes on, he becomes increasingly aware of how much and how great hatred, anger, malice, resentment, spite, and so forth his faithful diligence in pastoral care brings upon him from insincere members of his church, who want only that he preach gently and pleasantly, put cushions under their arms and pillows beneath their heads, baptize, confirm, administer the Sacrament, and bury them, but otherwise not concern himself with individual souls, especially by way of reproof!

But how is a pastor to obtain the grace and power of the Holy Spirit except by rightly submitting himself to His discipline and care, and choosing Him as his constant pastor, to whom in his prayers and supplications, petitions and intercessions, he continually presents his own needs and concerns and those of his parishioners, and by whom he in turn is enlightened, strengthened, and comforted through His Word from Holy Scripture? And this, in sum, is the salutary taking heed to oneself that must in part precede, and in part continually accompany, taking heed also to the individual sheep and lambs of the flock; for it is impossible for anyone to be a faithful and capable pastor who does not, in the manner just indicated, have the Holy Spirit as his pastor; who does not diligently attend to prayer for his own soul; who does not diligently occupy himself with God’s Word for the increasing enlightenment and edification of his own soul, reflect upon it and search it, and especially become ever more familiar with the Pastoral Epistles of the beloved Apostle Paul. For it is certain that the devil, the world, and the flesh will eventually do their part to weaken this twofold vigilance in him more and more: partly to sink him into the mire of indolence; partly, when he meets with one success or another, to plunge him into spiritual pride, frivolity, and presumption; and partly, in the face of the prevailing resistance of so many of his church members, to arouse in him anger, fleshly zeal, or, conversely, fear of man and despondency, or unbelieving concern for worldly things and bodily needs, according to his distinctive temperament, the temperamental faults connected with it, and outward circumstances, which