# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S65
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

[p. 65]

—a little flock that, however much the world may talk of progress, stays with the old homely doctrine of the divine Word and takes up nothing newfangled, but remains with the old-fashioned doctrine of the fathers of the Lutheran church — a little flock firmly convinced that this is the right way to eternal life which God has revealed once for all, that believes God is no follower of fashion who reveals himself one way today and differently again tomorrow — that arouses the devil's wrath to the utmost and turns the world against us. Therefore we must stand with an iron brow against the world, which despises our faith and our actions as folly and holds us for fools. This must stand firm with us: we will gladly be such fools for Christ's sake. That is, to be sure, not pleasant for our flesh, for it lies in our nature that we would like to be recognized, even by the world. It goes straight through our souls when we hear a judgment from the world against us; we would like to hear: well, the Missourians have also done some good; through this or that they have also benefited the world. But let us be wary of such thoughts, for the world's judgment should mean nothing to us. If we only bring souls to Christ and into heaven, then it must be all the same to us whether the world despises or praises us for it, for we know we will not be judged by its standard. — One thing in particular should spur us to watchfulness: the parable of the ten virgins. There we hear that even the wise ones grew drowsy when the bridegroom tarried. That can happen to us too. We know the dangers; each of us has them close at hand, and when we compare the church of the Reformation in Luther's time with ourselves, what a distance there is! — Alas, we are a feeble generation. All the more, then, should we all encourage one another.

On Thesis 2 it was briefly remarked that it would take too much time if this thesis were to be worked out at length with citations, and that it was cited only to prompt everyone in the Synod to reflect further on the matter itself.

Likewise Thesis 3, with its citations from Luther's writings, was merely read aloud, and then, without further discussion, the Synod moved on to the third division of the theses: "What must our task be, so that this blessing is not squandered, but handed down to our descendants?" This question is forced upon us, first of all, by gratitude. It is already a shameful ingratitude if one carelessly throws away a friend's gift, so that it is damaged and spoiled or lost. But how much greater is the ingratitude toward our heavenly benefactor, if we let his gift be spoiled through our indifference or our carelessness. The dangers that threaten this gift call for watchfulness. The apostle Paul, after prophesying the dangers in Acts chapter 20, then adds expressly: "Therefore watch," that is, be vigilant. Watchfulness is thus a means of avoiding this danger. If already a—