# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1857_S314
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 314 —

synodical sessions will make plain to us and to the church, as to its
enemies, whether and how far we are in earnest about the zeal we profess
for the confession of the church, and about the opposition we have raised,
for that confession's sake, in word and deed, against all who have set
themselves against it in doctrine or practice, whether they stand within
or outside its visible fellowship. May the Lord help us not to give way,
but in his fear, and in believing expectation of his help and support, to
stand together on the foundation he has assigned us — which, we are
divinely certain, is no other than that of his eternal Word, by which alone
he gives light and life to the world.

To be sure, when we look from our own small band at the number and
standing of those who, particularly in the old fatherland, seek to
reintroduce into the Lutheran Church errors long since rejected under its
name; when we compare the strength and gifts at our disposal with the
wealth with which the other side is furnished; when we see in particular
how the errors we must contend against have overgrown almost the entire
ground of our own church as well, and how deeply they have taken hold even
of believers' own way of thinking — then indeed our courage might well
fail us, then the temptation might well come over us to give up the common
fight and abandon the field to the adversary. But, my honored brothers, as
long as the Lord has not withdrawn the word, "Whoever confesses me before
men, him will I also confess before my Father in heaven; and whoever
denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father in heaven," so
long we may not — and as long as it stands written in a Christian's heart,
"The love of Christ constrains me thus," so long we cannot and must not
give way, come what may. Yet we would rather not look at what would rob us
of courage, but at what must give us courage — that is, at the word of the
Lord: "My hand has made all things that are, says the Lord. But to this
one will I look: to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who
trembles at my word." Isa. 66:2. "O Lord our Ruler, how excellent is your
name in all the earth, that men give you thanks in heaven! Out of the
mouths of babes and infants you have ordained strength because of your
enemies, that you might still the enemy and the avenger." Psalm 8.

Allow me to gladden your heart and mine, and to refresh our courage, by
reading to you in extract the exposition of this passage by our spiritual
father, the dear man of God Luther, who indeed had other struggles and
other adversaries to speak of, though at bottom it is always one and the
same enemy who sets himself against God and his kingdom, just as God's own
manner of warfare is at bottom always the same. Luther speaks as follows:

"By 'infants' he does not mean young children who cannot yet speak (for
if they were to carry and preach the word, they would have to be able to
speak); rather, plain, simple, artless people, who are like unweaned
infants — that is, who set all reason aside, grasp and receive the word
with simple faith, and let themselves be led and guided by God, as
children are. Such are also the best pupils and teachers in Christ's
kingdom. . . . By 'sucklings' he does not mean those lying