# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1884_S34
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

32 Proceedings of the tenth convention

not the dead or even the devil. And then he adds what he means by saying that they should seek God, namely, they should seek his Word: "To the law and to the testimony," and that is the written Word of God. For as often as this expression, "law and testimony," occurs in the Old Testament, the Bible is always meant. That God in the course of time added still more to the Old Testament and finally the New Testament makes no difference to the matter. For now it goes by this "law and testimony" too, added by God himself. So the Lutheran Church also teaches. In the

Formula of Concord it says: "We believe, teach and confess that the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike are to be judged and decided are none other than the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testament, as it is written: 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,' Ps. 119:105. And St. Paul: 'If an angel from heaven preach any other gospel, let him be accursed,' Gal. 1:8. But other writings of ancient or modern teachers, whatever name they bear, are not to be held equal to Holy Scripture, but all together are to be subjected to it, and are to be received in no other or further way than as witnesses, to show in what manner after the time of the apostles, and in what places, such doctrine of the prophets and apostles was preserved." (Epitome. Of the Summary Concept. p. 517.)

Nothing else, then, are the teachers of the Church than witnesses. That is the faith of every upright Lutheran. Oh, it is dreadful when the poor laymen, instead of into Scripture, are always directed only into human books, whereas a teacher of the Church ought to say to them: First go into Holy Scripture, then however do not despise prophecy either, but there test everything well! It cannot be told what heartache may yet come upon our American Lutheran Church from the fact that people have begun, only in order to keep people, to direct them to human writings and to hold before them: Just look at the men! These are highly enlightened, godly, pious, highly gifted Church Fathers, whom even our opponents cannot reject, and they teach thus and so; this we must hold fast as alone genuinely Lutheran. Then every Christian should stand up, even if he were a cowherd, and say: All respect to these great men! But my poor soul I do not build on them; I am not baptized into them, they are not my God and Savior. I gladly let them be my guides, but only where they show me the way with the lamp of the divine Word. Their good name, however, shall not bribe me to accept something that is contrary to Scripture.

Therefore Luther says: "Consciences cannot be bound except by God's Word alone." (That Free Will Is Nothing.