# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juli 1858_S220
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

220 Once More: Luther or Arnd?

of our people. On the reception it meets would then depend whether, and
what further steps in this matter, should be taken.
                    (Saxon Church and School Gazette.

(Submitted by Conr. Schick.)
Once More: Luther or Arnd?

The article "Luther or Arnd?" in the February number of our journal has
been attacked in the Gettysburg Kirchenbote in such a manner that we
cannot forbear replying with a few words, partly toward clarification,
partly in defense against unfounded reproaches.

It is certain that through Arnd, at a time when great numbers within
the Lutheran church were content with an outward orthodoxy and outward
churchliness, while lacking daily repentance and earnestness of
sanctification, many were awakened to a truly living life of faith, and
that this has continued to happen, and still happens, throughout the
whole of the last two hundred years under the most varied conditions of
the church. Arnd is attested before all the world, by his immeasurable
effectiveness in the service of the Lord and his Word, as an especially
highly graced and gloriously gifted instrument of the Holy Spirit. It
will therefore occur to no true Christian to wish "to crowd Arnd's
writings out of people's hands." On the contrary, he will, with thanks
to God, not only make use himself of the precious gift our church
possesses in Arnd's writings — and above all of the precious jewel of
his prayers, which flow as true streams of the Holy Spirit from a heart
inwardly believing and bound to Jesus in fervent love, and which
therefore, by their wonderfully comforting and strengthening power,
mightily attest their origin — but will also draw the attention of
others to this heavenly treasure and lead them to it, as is done
abundantly in our midst.

But for that very reason we, as Lutheran Christians who in matters of
faith and doctrine have no other Lord than Jesus Christ, and who
therefore submit ourselves alone to his Word — as it is contained
perfectly, and without human error or weakness, in Holy Scripture alone
— as to the Word of the truthful God, are not thereby bound to accept
Arnd's word without further ado as God's word; rather, we are obligated
to test his writings carefully against God's Word, or, what for
Lutherans is the same thing, against the confession of our church. For
it is, after all, on that very account that we hold to the Lutheran
church, because we have recognized and are certain that it confesses
the pure truth of the Word of God. If, then, upon conscientious
examination, we find what other Lutheran Christians too — as, for
example, Johann Gerhard, who wrote his Schola Pietatis in contrast to
Arnd's true Christianity — have found, namely that in Arnd's