# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_November 1857_S323
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

On the Use of Church History for Preaching. 323

continuation of the history of the martyrs, the conclusion might be given on the Sunday after Christmas. I am accustomed frequently to call attention to the great number of the martyrs, namely 54 million in the first 3 centuries, and proportionally far more still at the time of the Reformation from 1540 to 1580, namely 900,000. Most desirable would be a short guide as to how one is to make use of the histories of the martyrs in general.

6. At Pentecost. In an afternoon or weekday sermon on Acts 2:41-47 the history of the apostolic age could be briefly narrated.

7. At Trinity. In the afternoon or during the week the Athanasian Creed should be read aloud yearly according to the old churchly custom, and the hearers encouraged to read it again for themselves.

8. On the commemoration day of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession. For the brief historical narrative, which ought to be known in school and church, as well as for the reading aloud of the first 21 articles with glosses, one should appoint 3 sermons. For texts one might choose Psalm 12:6, Psalm 78:1-7, Psalm 102:13-23, John 19:14-23, Ephesians 4:1-6. As aids the following are to be recommended: Löber's Denkmal der Augsburgischen Confession and Lehmann's and Schnabel's exposition of the same.*)

9. At the Reformation festival. Without this festival we could rightly hallow none of the other festivals, indeed not a single Sunday, with God's Word. But the richness of this festival in history and doctrine is so great that, like the treasures in a richly stocked shop, it can be put on display rather than viewed in full. Therefore I am accustomed each time to preach 4 sermons: one preparatory sermon, two sermons on the festival itself, and one for the observance following; these 4 sermons I will designate A, B, C, D.

A.

a. On Psalm 74:1-12. The abomination of desolation in the time of the papacy:

1. The sighing of the godly over it (vv. 1-3).

2. The description of these abominations (vv. 4-9).

3. The length and duration of this desolation (vv. 10-12).

b. On the Gospel, Revelation 14:6-13. The benefits of the Reformation:

1. The man of God through whom God bestowed these benefits (v. 6).

2. The benefits of the Reformation themselves (vv. 7, 8).

c. On the same Gospel. The use of the benefits of the Reformation:

1. To guard oneself against all fellowship with false doctrine (vv. 9-11).

*) The contributors will agree with us when we remark here that the above-mentioned exposition does indeed contain much that is good, but not everything in it will stand the test.
The Editors.