# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1876_S55
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 55 —

On 4 May of this year the Lord and chief Shepherd took the [illegible]
faithful servant and chosen instrument of the Lutheran [illegible]
West out of labor into the eternal rest of the people of Go[illegible]
struggle and strife to sweet triumph and peace into his eternal dwellings.

The LORD's will be done! Heavy though the loss is that we have suffered, yet we must praise and thank God the LORD for all the blessing which he has bestowed on us through this man.

We can do no other than cordially join in the memorial which the "Lutheraner" (vol. 32, No. 10, p. 73) set for him in the words: "With him there goes down into the grave a man whom, nearly forty years ago, nothing but the fervent longing drove to America, to seek out here his forsaken brethren according to the flesh and to bring them the blessed message of the Gospel of Christ, the Savior of sinners, and who during this whole time belonged to the number of those few of whom the Holy Spirit bears witness: 'Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our LORD Jesus Christ' (Acts 15:26). A richly and highly gifted spirit, a truly evangelical preacher, 'an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures,' a spiritual guide highly experienced in the school of severe spiritual trials, an undaunted witness of the pure, full truth, a brave fighter for it, a faithful church-watchman, a man without guile, whose whole being bore the stamp of uprightness and honesty, an enemy of all lying and hypocrisy, a true Nathanael soul, in short an upright Christian and faithful servant of his LORD, who however in true humility knew only his weakness, not his strength, he has been to whole crowds of preachers and laymen a model, to thousands a spiritual father, to whole regions of America their apostle, and by all who knew him loved and honored, one of the fairest ornaments and one of the mightiest instruments of our American Lutheran Zion, whose name shall never decay, but be and remain blessed as long as our Lutheran Church here remains worthy of its name."

May God the LORD be to his children, and especially to his aged widow, a rich comforter, helper and support, and also fulfil in them the word which he, through the mouth of his prophet (Isaiah 46:4), calls out to the members of his Church: "I will carry you to your old age and until you are gray. I will do it, I will lift and carry, and deliver."

But to us all may Christ Jesus grant that we take this man as a model in his untiring zeal to further the LORD's work, in his joyful courage of witness, in his warm love for American Lutheran Zion and in his rock-firm faith. Heb. 13:7.