# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1847 05 04_S98
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

use. But that he himself did not draw and admit the conclusions that could be drawn from these expressions instilled in him from childhood, every page of his writings proves, since no man ever insisted more definitely and forcefully on the biblical marks and fruits of regeneration than J. Wesley." Indeed, we are astonished at the impudence with which Nast seeks to degrade John Wesley into a common hypocrite and liar. Wesley speaks of baptism in the expressions of the Lutheran church; from this it follows irrefutably, for every Christian who credits his neighbor with even a spark of conscience and love of truth, that he also believed in his heart what he said, and admitted the conclusions that followed simply and necessarily from his words. He would have had to, like the Methodists of today, not have known what he was saying, and to have affirmed today what he denied tomorrow — which no one who knows his life will grant. Nast, on the other hand, denies that Wesley drew and admitted the conclusions that necessarily follow from his own words and teachings; with this he must of course also deny that Wesley himself believed what he said and taught. Nast makes it clear, in the words "that Wesley, indeed, as a preacher in the Church of England, spoke a few times of baptism in the expressions of the English and the Lutheran church," that he means Wesley would have spoken differently had he not been a preacher in the Church of England, and had merely accommodated himself to it. Thus Nast plainly declares J. Wesley to be a hypocritical Jesuit — a charge we reject in all seriousness as unfounded. Although Wesley's understanding was mistaken on many points, he stands too high in our esteem as a noble, conscientious, and truth-loving man for us to let Nast's base accusation against his character pass unpunished. Wesley still held to order during divine worship; following God's Word, he held with the Lutheran church that holy Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration — naturally, thereby drawing upon himself the hatred of a sect which rejects both Christian order and the holy Sacraments, and has invented in their place the "sacrament" of the mourner's bench. Would that the Methodists might adopt the love of truth and of order which animated Wesley — it would be an important step toward their improvement!

Quite amusing to hear is Nast's assertion: "Moreover, the Methodist church stands on purely biblical ground," upon which there immediately follows the edifying news that the Sacraments are merely outward signs. On "purely biblical ground," as Mr. Nast says, stands the Methodist truth that the Lord Christ is a master of ceremonies who instituted the Sacraments as outward signs by which Christians, Jews, and heathen were to be distinguished from one another. It is for this reason alone that the Methodists use the Sacraments — so that they will not be mistaken for Jews and heathen, and thereby prove what holy and pious people they are. Nast is therefore very angry that the Baptists would not admit him to the Lord's Supper in their churches, because he thinks that, faith or no faith, it would be best if "Christians of every sect" went to the Lord's Supper together. The Baptists gave the sensible answer that where there is no communion of faith, no common partaking of the holy Supper can take place either — but this answer is too far above Nast for him to grasp. He also uses the word "Sacrament" and rants with it against "old Father Peter Schmucker," who, as is well known, had ranted that the word "Sacrament" was a "heathen" one. — But to return to the "purely biblical ground" of the Methodist church: we ask Mr. Nast whether the abominations of the mourner's bench also stand on it; whether the doctrine of the Methodists' perfect holiness also stands on it; whether the doctrine also stands on it that Methodists, as uncalled preachers, may intrude into another's office? Of course, Mr. Nast, if he still has the least regard for God's Word, will have to answer that not the slightest word of those Methodist abominations and false doctrines stands on biblical ground, but rather the very opposite. We shall therefore, with his consent, improve Mr. Nast's statement to read: "The Methodist sect stands on wholly unbiblical, purely fanatical ground." No, Mr. Nast, the times are past when Methodist preachers, with assurances that they preach the pure doctrine and the Lutheran faith, could catch simple-minded Lutherans. A purer, Christian knowledge is spreading; on the mountains lies the dawn of a fairer future; it is to be hoped that soon the bright sun will shine into many hearts and put an end to the dark night of Methodist tormenting of souls.

It is well known that the Methodists distinguish themselves by the abundance of their discoveries in the religious field. So it was with Peter Schmucker, and so also with Nast, who seems to be endowed with the same sharp eye. And indeed, this advantage of the Methodists has its natural cause. For it is of them that Holy Scripture prophesies in 2 Tim. 3:6: "Of this sort are they which creep into houses," and lead captive, etc. Naturally, these creepers learn all sorts of news from the little women, which some Methodist brother, father, or pope then makes known in the Apologete. They also roam through the whole land to make a convert, and what novelties are there not to be seen there? — This time Nast has had a particularly dreadful apparition; whether waking or dreaming, he unfortunately did not notice, which only helps to shroud the matter in a more mysterious darkness. Whether this dreadful apparition was reality, or a delusion of the fanatical spirit, Mr. Nast will probably explain when "old Father Peter Schmucker" gives out a prescription from his confirmation-machine. Nast beheld that horrifying vision in the shape of grim men, whom he calls "Old Lutherans." In agreement with this, a creeper from Fort Wayne reports that a new "religious sect" has been seen there, which he calls "Old-Lutheranish." Whether the "Old Lutherans" and the "Old-Lutheranish" form one or two religious sects, the fanatics seem still to be undecided about, but the well-known tracking power of the creepers will certainly soon succeed in finding out. Meanwhile we ask everyone to watch for the "Old Lutherans," and especially for the "Old-Lutheranish," since we are eager to make their acquaintance. According to Nast, the Old Lutherans must be desperate people, since they "swear by Luther's words." Nast probably attended the uplifting ceremony when the "Old Lutherans" were solemnly taking their oath upon Luther's words — a ceremony which certainly must have had a most beneficial effect on him, since he mentions it with particular satisfaction, and which, given its length, must also have been very dignified and edifying. When one considers that Luther's words are contained in twenty-four hefty volumes, and that the Old Lutherans have sworn upon every word of Luther, indeed upon every letter, quite a lot of time must have been required for this touching labor — which, however, given Mr. Nast's well-known fondness for Luther's teaching, will not have seemed long to him. Or does "Old Lutheran," in Mr. Nast's fanatical sense, mean as much as ex-Lutheran — a former Lutheran who once swore to remain faithful to the church of God and to Christian truth, but broke that oath for the sake of fanaticism and money, and who now, goaded by his conscience, is driven to slander the truth? We know such ex-Lutherans.

Touching, indeed, is the concern which the "Apologete" harbors for the purse of the "true Christians" in Germany. He has heard that Lutheran preachers, supported by the gifts of their fellow believers, now come over here more frequently, in order to serve the church of Christ. Of these he says: "If the true Christians of Germany knew the true state of things, they would put their mission gifts to better purposes." We happen to be well acquainted with a large number of the "true Christians" of Germany who devote their gifts to North America, and we can give the "Apologete" the reassuring confirmation that they know the "true state of things" very precisely, and are thereby only spurred on to their self-sacrificing zeal for the salvation of their brethren. The "true Christians of Germany" especially enjoy a most thorough knowledge of the "true state" of