# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1846 10 27_S30
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

only already sent over some funds for the erection of a seminary building, but also a candidate of theology and eleven young men, who had already received instruction for a shorter or longer time in Germany under proven Lutheran pastors.

These — another candidate of theology, who is also to assist as a teacher, is expected shortly — have already arrived here this past month, and since for the time being the most necessary arrangements have been made, inasmuch as the construction of the seminary building cannot begin until next spring, instruction is, under God's gracious help, to begin this month.

We do not intend to publish, at this time, further and more particular details about its organization. For now we confine ourselves to directing the attention of our dear readers and of the faithfully-minded Lutheran congregations to only two points.

The one is a brief statement of the purpose of the seminary; the other is the heartfelt request to all faithful children of the Lutheran Church who do not yet have to provide for an institution of their own of this kind, to take this little plant also under their care, and to help water it through prayer and assistance.

As for the purpose of the seminary, we make no secret of it, but confess it freely, that it is our heartfelt prayer, wish, and will to prepare, in our pupils, servants for the church, under the grace and blessing of the Triune God—

1.) who hold to the pattern of sound doctrine and abide in that which has been entrusted to them, even as the orthodox church, at present called Lutheran, has from the beginning believed, confessed, and taught on the ground of the divine Word;

2.) who accordingly have nothing to do with the unscriptural mingling of churches and the false unionism of our day, in which, unfortunately, most of the so-called Lutheran synods and congregations, even here in this country, are entangled, either in confession and practice, or at least in the latter,*) but who rather contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, and desire and enter into no other union than that which consists in one and the same faith, confession, and doctrine, in all the articles of the truth unto salvation handed down to us by God in his Word;

3.) who have gained a sound and thorough knowledge of this truth, and, God willing, also an inward experience of it;

4.) who are apt also to teach this truth to others, rightly to divide and apply the Word of God, Law and Gospel, and to withstand the factious and fanatical spirits;

*) It is a well-known fact that the so-called Lutheran General Synod, for example, is thoroughly Reformed in its doctrine of the holy sacraments, and in church practice largely Methodist; further, that, for instance, members of the Lutheran synods of Ohio and Michigan serve mixed congregations as such, and thus, for example, in the administration of the Holy Supper, are Lutheran to the Lutherans and Reformed to the Reformed.

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5.) who stand in sincere humility of heart and genuine love for their church, as those who hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience;

6.) who are ready, for the sake of the most precious confession and of the pure and unified doctrine, gladly and willingly to endure every kind of cross and tribulation from within and from without;

7.) who take heed to themselves and to the flocks which the Lord and Chief Shepherd may one day commit to them, so as faithfully to feed them, as a whole and individually, with pure Word and Sacrament, and also to be examples to their flocks in life and conduct and in every fruit of the Spirit.

8.) Who finally also make it their diligent effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, also among one another, mindful that they are not only created by the same Father, redeemed by the same Son, and sanctified by the same Holy Spirit, but also serve this their God, in this same most holy cause — namely, the building up of his holy church — as his fellow workers.

To raise up such servants of the church, in a shorter or longer time according to age, disposition of heart, and gifts, through the gracious help of the Holy Spirit — that is our purpose and goal. But in order to realize this purpose as far as possible, to reach this goal as far as possible, there is needed — and this is precisely the other point of my brotherly address — also the prayer and the helping hand not only of our dear brothers in the faith in Germany, but also of those here in America, for whom, indeed, this institution has been founded in a quite special way.

How many of these latter build houses and barns and plant orchards even for their children, and tend these their buildings and plantings with faithfulness and care, so that their children and children's children may thereby have an earthly gain! Should they not, then, also help to water and tend this spiritual planting through believing intercession and active cooperation, from which they themselves, and their children too, may yet reap, under God's blessing, a heavenly gain? Would they be content to sit idly by while their friends cultivated their fields for them and built their houses, while they themselves are hale and strong enough at least to help in such a labor of love?

Accordingly, I hope I make no vain request of the sincere sons of our beloved church — even should there be but few of them amid its present decay and disfigurement — to render help, with praying hearts and open hands, to our German brothers and fellow believers in caring for the seminary here, this labor of spiritual love.

For are not our feet willing to carry the whole body wherever the head wills, just as, conversely, the eyes and hands, indeed the whole body, incline toward the feet and take notice of them and tend them, should some hurt befall them? Should we, then, who are a spiritual body in Christ, allow ourselves to be put to shame by our mortal body, and fail to render mutual assistance to one another, and to carry on together the labor of love?

Should we, to whom the precious, noble jewel of the pure doctrine of salvation and of the unadulterated sacraments has also been entrusted by the Lord for propagation and spreading, isolate ourselves in coldness, estrangement, and mistrust, or lay our hands idly and lazily in our laps? Shall our zeal for the preservation of the pure, saving truth be surpassed by the zeal of the papists and fanatics for the preservation of their soul-destroying false doctrines? Therefore, beloved brothers and fellow believers on this side of the ocean, you who still love your church as the pillar and foundation of the truth, you who also carry upon your hearts the preservation of the same among our immigrant brothers in the faith, who come over by the thousands every year — lend a hand here as well!

Let us here too, together, like Nehemiah and his companions, fight with the one hand against the papists and fanatics, false brothers, and every unscriptural, unchurchly union, while with the other hand we — build! Now may the faithful Lord and God, who grants success to the upright, make this his gracious word of promise come true for us also in this sense. May he grant this out of grace! Amen.*)

Dr. W. Sihler,
Lutheran preacher at Fort Wayne, Ind.,
at present director of the seminary.
Fort Wayne, October 24, 1846.

*) Every gift of love received for the seminary shall, with the kind permission of the editor, be announced quarterly in the "Lutheraner," and its proper receipt acknowledged therein.

Paid:

1st year: Messrs. Pastor Harms, Leutner, J. G. Schneider, Fr. Thiemeyer, Pastor Wyneken, Pastor Saupert.

First half of the 2nd year: Mr. H. C. Dannettel.

2nd year: Messrs. Baumgart, Fr. Bihler, C. H. Dannettel, Pastor Harms, Dr. Haynel, Leutner, Rollmann, J. Scharpf, J. G. Schneider, Senft, Thüner, Fr. Thiemeyer, Pastor Wyneken, Pastor Saupert.

First half of the 3rd year: Messrs. J. Beiswänger, J. Briehl, J. Drege, A. Einwächter, E. Fischer, D. Katenkamp, Maria Köster, Leutner, Leistner, Fr. Louis, H. D. Meyer, J. H. Müller, Chr. Reinhardt, H. Ruppel, Math. Schmidt, Ch. and F. Schröder, H. Spörl, G. M. Sus, A. Weydemeier, J. Weckesser, M. Wahl.

3rd year: Messrs. J. Aichele, F. Bihler, C. H. Dannettel, G. Ebert, J. Fetting, J. Föllinger, Pastor Grätz, Pastor Harms, L. Hellwig, J. Imwalde, C. H. Kleppisch, Niklas, Ch. Piepenbrink, Rollmann, Th. Rückert, R. Schwegmann, Steinbrück, F. Thiemeyer, Thüner, G. Wiedemann, Pastor Wyneken, Pastor Hattstädt (5 copies), Paulus Hoffmann, J. Santschi, K. H. Schaal, Pastor Saupert.

Received through Ch. Stock, 86.25. Ph. Bohn, 82.97. P. Pohl, 93.53.

Printed by Weber and Olshausen.