# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1846 07 25_S96
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

[p. 96]

Thus Luther now has his being among the dear angels and elect of God, especially the holy Apostle Paul, whose writings he had likewise brought again to light and to the right use of the Church. He closes with the exhortation "that we, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, might let ourselves be led by his books into the Holy Scriptures, and, living and believing rightly, might also blessedly close our own final hour! Amen."

(To be concluded.)

(Submitted.)

GLEANINGS FROM READING.

Once before, the "Lutheraner" mentioned the well-known Lutheran theologian Nicolaus Selnecker, author of the excellent hymn "Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr" ("All Glory Be to God on High"), and so forth; and the picture the readers received at that time, through his devout and loving judgment concerning the Reformed who were cruelly murdered in the terrible Parisian Blood Wedding [the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre], certainly agrees with what one finds of him elsewhere, for he is described as a man of gentle disposition who had no taste at all for quarreling, and yet was at the same time a sincere confessor of the pure doctrine. Since Selnecker, as a co-author of the Book of Concord, belongs among the most influential theologians of the Lutheran Church, it will surely not be without interest if his memory is once more renewed in the "Lutheraner." The sender of these lines therefore shares with the dear readers of our paper the following beautiful confession of blessed Selnecker's, concerning his theological formation, from which all friends of the Book of Concord in particular will see with joy that this magnificent confessional writing had as its authors men who learned much in the school of affliction — men who were not lords but humble disciples of the divine Word, and who were therefore equipped by the Holy Spirit to teach others, even later generations.

Selnecker says concerning the words of Psalm 119:67:

"Before I was humbled, I went astray: we suppose there is much reason, wisdom, skill, and piety in us; but when we receive a heavy cross — anguish of heart, spiritual sorrow, and melancholy — then we see that we have gone far astray, and that there is nothing in us by which we could counsel or help ourselves, unless the Holy Spirit stands by us and helps us through the Word of God. I, for my own wretched part, must freely confess that this is so. When I was still free and held no office, nothing seemed too difficult for me to want to speak and dispute about in the divine Word; I resolved to soon become a knight in the highest controversies, and thought that [p. 96] the opinion of every other teacher was not so good as my own — even though I was young and a mere pupil. I even took it upon myself from that time to write on Holy Scripture and to lecture publicly on the Acts of the Apostles, Matthew, John, Daniel, and others. Ah, it was a fine thing then — I was Magister Magistrorum (master over all masters), and had everything pinned down and settled to the last detail. But when I was called to the preaching office, and was afflicted not only with bodily illness and other misfortunes, but also with dangerous thoughts and mortal terror — and this did not diminish but increased daily, so that I became fit for almost no one's company, my countenance failed me, and I lost all courage and heart, and could scarcely preach or otherwise carry out my office — then I was led into the school and learned: Nil sum (I am nothing). And although this cross dealt a great blow to my health and life, I nevertheless thank God from my heart that he humbled me in this way and led me out of the wantonness, arrogance, and pride of my youth; and I am altogether well content if I can only just barely attend to my office, however hard it may go for me — and I have, God be praised, only the bare Word of God, to which I hold fast together with other believers, against my own thoughts and against every temptation of the devil, death, heretics, and the world. This I am not ashamed to confess. It is indeed true, and it is my comfort, that I read that the like has befallen others as well — as Tauler, for almost two years, dared not go among people, and could neither preach nor teach, out of sheer timidity, so that he was even considered by some to be out of his mind."

"Sirach speaks likewise: 'While I was still in error, I too was capable of much teaching, and was so learned that I could not say it all. And I often came into danger of death over it, until I was delivered from it. Now I see that those who fear God have the right spirit, for their hope rests on him who is able to help them.' Sirach 34:12–15."

"One sees the same thing nowadays. Young people who have studied a bit of philosophy soon push themselves forward and want to be masters in divine matters, and whatever agrees with their reason must be right, and everything else must be false. I too was young once, and can truthfully say that they possess and advance no skill or argument that I myself did not also once possess and advance, back when I still stood in doubt and their cleverness pleased me well. But once they come to examine their hearts and bring their conscience before God — as indeed it will happen — they will discover, as they will surely find out, that they are fools for all their great cleverness, and that they know and possess nothing for certain unless they hold fast to the Word of God alone. It is true, and remains true: without the cross no man can understand God's Word, whoever he may be — vexatio dat intellectum [affliction gives understanding]; cross and temptation teach one to pay heed to the Word. Otherwise we are all impertinent philosophers and self-assured disputers.

"Well then, we wish all these clever spirits nothing other than a heavy cross and anguish of conscience — otherwise they will not be converted, and will not cease their clever contrivances." N.

METHODISM.

We consider it our duty to share with the readers of the "Lutheraner" what has been answered on the part of the Methodists to our essay on "Holy Absolution." We regard it as unnecessary to add anything to it; we think that the unfortunate Methodists have, by nothing more, set the seal of truth upon our assertions than by the manner in which they have tried, in this matter, to whitewash themselves.

In the "Anzeiger des Westens" the following is written:

"We feel compelled, for the sake of truth and justice as well as out of a sense of duty to ourselves, to respond to the paper of the so-called Lutheraner — editor C. F. W. Walther. He has taken the liberty of publicly repeating the grossest untruths about the Methodists, which we offer to disprove to anyone who desires it. He accuses us of principles that we neither hold nor love, but rather abhor from the heart; and it therefore grieves us deeply to hear such lies from a preacher who flatteringly presents himself as orthodox. Yet let each person examine for himself by what spirit the above-named pastor is driven to such lying and slander. By no means do we intend to engage in these proud and useless religious quarrels; we only wish to indicate that we cannot help but let such brazen lying and conduct rest upon Pastor Walther himself.

Several members of the Episcopal Methodist Church.

J. K. Herr.
K. Alt.
Louis Kunz."

In the "Deutsche Tribüne," published here, it further states:

"We make the following declaration, which we believe we owe to ourselves and to the truth. Pastor C. F. W. Walther takes the liberty, in his paper, the so-called Lutheraner, of publicly spreading lies about the Methodists, which we offer to prove to anyone who demands it. We make this declaration only to expose the character and conduct of that man who, disguised as an angel of light, seeks to bring the Methodists under suspicion. By no means do we wish to engage in Mr. Walther's proud and arrogant religious quarrels and slanders; but we do wish to indicate to him that we will not tolerate his lies and untruths.

Several members of the Episcopal Methodist Church.

Friedrich Schrage.
Th. Heinz.
H. Shrempf."

In the next issue we intend to share Mr. Nast's reply as well.

Printed by Weber and Olshausen.