# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Februar 1856_S63
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Miscellaneous Church News. 63

such liberal morsels are meant to be a bait for a certain class of soft-hearted Protestants. This, however, seems to us to be rather poor policy, for while these gentlemen thereby win over now this one, now that one, to the Pope, they thereby at the same time open the eyes of thousands, who now see that the religious zeal of the most desperate papists is always only pretense, and that in their hearts they themselves are nothing but crude indifferentists, skeptics, indeed naturalists, or perhaps even atheists.

How Our Synod's Periodicals Are Judged in Germany. In the issue of the "Sächsisches Kirchen- und Schulblatt" of November 8th of last year there is found an essay headed "From North America." Among other things it reads as follows: "It has already been reported elsewhere how, by the Lord's grace, a joyfully greening branch of the German Lutheran Church has grown up in North America in the German Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other states. A telling testimony to this is the fact that the Synod's church periodical, 'Der Lutheraner,' edited by Walther, has for more than 10 years not only maintained itself but found increasing acceptance. In it the inner and outer affairs of the Church are discussed in a generally understandable manner, communications are given from church history both past and present, in particular the current doings of the Catholic Church and of the numerous religious bodies in North America are taken into account, general world events are also followed and illuminated from God's Word, and finally all sorts of books are noticed — the good ones with recommendation, the bad ones with warning. This paper, which deserves to be read more among us, appears once every two weeks for the annual subscription price of 1 dollar. In this, however, the theological needs, especially of the pastors, cannot be adequately met. The Synod has therefore, alongside 'Der Lutheraner,' founded, since the beginning of this year, a special periodical: Lehre und Wehre." Thereupon the writer gives the full title of the periodical, together with its motto and its entire prospectus, and then continues: "This periodical is deserving of every attention. The undersigned can attest that the eight issues he has so far read faithfully deliver what was promised. As an example I name the longer articles." Here follow the headings of the same. "Especially deserving of thanks," the writer continues, "are the ongoing discussions of the good books of older theologians. The date and edition of the works in question are exactly given, their content and worth discussed with careful consideration. Young theologians have here a good opportunity to become acquainted with the treasury of Lutheran theology. Would that it were also diligently used among us for the building up of upright pastors' libraries. May this notice, however, serve to direct the gaze of the readers of the Kirchen- und Schulblatt repeatedly toward a field which, in the midst of many thorns, the Lord visits with wondrous blessing." In a note the reporter further states: "To the astonishment expressed (by Hofmann?) in the 1855 volume of the Erlangen periodical for Protestantism and Church, March issue, at the statement 'Scripture is to be interpreted according to the Symbols, and as a Lutheran one need only go back to Scripture in dealing with non-Lutherans,' weighty statements of the Formula of Concord and of Lutheran dogmaticians are opposed. Cf. the pertinent citation from Wernsdorf" (which citation is thereupon given verbatim). — The Reverend Pastor Ehlers, too, has taken up "Lehre und Wehre" with the greatest friendliness and recommended it in his "Kirchenblatt." — That we ourselves hereby bring this to the knowledge of our esteemed readers, our well-meaning opponents here will, to be sure, not interpret in the best light; we have, however, held that we had no need to heed their judgment in this matter, since precisely in the reception which our theological periodical has found here, an encouragement that we thereby receive from the old fatherland could hardly be superfluous to us. Did we not already ourselves know full well, in our own hearts, how deeply we ought to humble ourselves at every experienced favor and encouragement, on account of the poverty of our labor for the kingdom of our dear Lord, so