# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1872_S82
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 82 —

lay this foundation. Without this safeguard of the old, truly biblical
theology, we would be led astray by the newer theology only onto
dangerous byways. Many, admittedly, face many hindrances to orderly
study because of being overloaded with official duties. But even such
preachers should still make the best possible use of their time for it.
Others are inclined toward superficiality and laziness. These they should
resist bravely and overcome. St. Paul already gives us an exhortation
concerning preachers' continued study, in the words: "Give attendance to
reading." A pastor and teacher must always keep this word of Paul's
before his eyes. What has been said here about preachers' continued study
is thus not a mere human opinion, but there exists a clear divine command
for it. The pastor is not faithful in his office who does not keep on
reading, that is, studying. Every Lutheran preacher, besides Holy
Scripture, ought especially to study Luther's writings as well. Some
Lutheran preachers, however, do not even own Luther's writings; others do
possess them, but nevertheless do not read them diligently. It should
really be the case that no Lutheran preacher lets a single day pass without
having read something from Luther's writings. For it is really from
Luther that one first gains the proper understanding of our confession, just
as our confessional writings themselves, in every case where a further
discussion of doctrine is called for, always refer back to the relevant
passages in Luther's writings. The more one reads Luther, the more
precious he becomes. Many do not rightly know how to go about arranging
their studies and making them truly fruitful. The best rule for ordinary
preachers who do not intend to become learned theological authors is
surely this: always prepare properly for one's sermon, and thus always
study with a view to one's next sermon. Let one begin, then, early in the
week to become clear about what subject one intends to preach on the
following Sunday. If the subject were, say, sanctification, then over the
course of the week one should look through all one's books for what one
finds on that point. In this way study also has a definite goal. Aimless
study is of no particular use to most preachers. If one has diligently kept
up with reading and studying during the week, then the hearers will surely
notice on the following Sunday that the preacher is not shaking his sermon
out of his sleeve, but that the sermon is the ripe fruit of his labor.

It was further remarked on this occasion that congregations should
also allow their preachers time for study and not rob them of it, by
needlessly disturbing them, for instance through official acts to be
performed in private homes. A delegate answered to this that pastors
should for their part also teach their congregations that, except in cases of
necessity, the proper place for such official acts is the church.

A next point requires that preachers be "united among themselves."