# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1858_S127
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Excerpts as Contributions to Pastoral Casuistry. 127

should let that stand and not tamper with it, nor wish to turn the banner of the confession according to a wind blowing now from the west and now elsewhere; just as one is, in general, altogether weathercock-like and wants to set much in motion by the driving-wheel of misunderstood human reason.

The softness of Melanchthon and his pliancy, in that he opened his heart and his understanding to Calvinist influences, especially in the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, are blameworthy and to be opposed. Philippism, with the undecided and running-together colors in its banner, is beyond question to be regarded as a forerunner of union. But no age demands it more than ours, that with the firmly stamped banner of the Lutheran confession we confront the mixed people of our day on the matter of the faith, as the Jews of old confronted the Samaritans. That is now the true service of love that one owes to the Church and to the individual. (Freimund.)

Excerpts as Contributions to Pastoral Casuistry.
On Conditional Betrothals.

Thus the Consistory at Dresden once ruled in this case, according to Dedekenn:

In answer to the question you have put to us, concerning which you have asked to be instructed as to the law, we, the appointed members of the Upper Consistory at Dresden, find and pronounce as law: that Bernhard N. betrothed and promised his daughter, of whom your question speaks, in marriage to Hans N., with this express condition — that he should conduct himself more honestly and better than his brother, who has stained himself with theft; and that the aforesaid Hans N., a few days thereafter, before the customary church-going and bedding, did betake himself, by means of false keys, into a citizen's locked dwelling in your city, and did there undertake to steal, had he not been prevented — therefore the said Bernhard and his daughter are, on account of the above-mentioned betrothal contracted under the express condition, well entitled, provided N. N. can bring forward nothing material to the contrary, to withdraw from it as the occasion requires.

(Thes. Vol. III. fol. 177.)

Further, in a similar case the Consistory at Meissen ruled as follows:

Whereas it has so far appeared that the defendant, the maiden's father, promised his daughter to the aforesaid plaintiff with this reservation — that if the plaintiff should become a master and complete his masterpiece between the date of the promise given and the Shrovetide next following, he would then let him marry and have his daughter; to which promise and