# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_October 1858_S310
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

310 The Glory of the Lutheran Church.

Even Johann Gerhard, who otherwise shows a certain anxiety, in the doctrine of the election of grace, to give even the appearance of approaching the Calvinistic view, nevertheless writes: "God, however, was moved by no merits of men, by no worthiness of the human race, indeed not even by foreknowledge of good works or of faith, to choose some to eternal life, but this is to be ascribed wholly and entirely to his sole undeserved, immeasurable grace. Ephesians 1:6. Romans 11:5. 2 Timothy 1:9." ("Nullis autem hominis meritis, nulla humani generis dignitate, quin nec prævisione bonorum operum vel fidei, motus est Deus, ut quosdam ad vitam æternam eligeret, sed soli indebitæ et immensae ipsius gratiae in solidum hoc asscribendum. Ephes. 1, 6. Rom. 11, 5. 2 Tim. 1, 9." cf. Loc. theol. loc. de electione § 52.)

(From the Kirchenblatt for the Evangelical Lutheran congregations in Prussia, edited by Ehlers.)
The Glory of the Lutheran Church.*)

What I set down here is intended in the first place for a few members of our church who wrote to me on account of my statement about the church in No. 6 of this year, because they could not agree that I acknowledge a Christian church outside the Lutheran church, or in other words, that I hold the Lutheran church to be only a part of Christendom and do not maintain that outside it there is no Christendom at all.

I acknowledge the good intention with which the dear brothers wrote to me, and I am convinced that what they say in their letter came from the heart. And because that is so, I too will answer them here from the heart — here, because they themselves write that they are not alone in holding my opinion to be erroneous, but that others share it with them.

The dear brothers urge me, in heartfelt love, to test my opinion by God's Word, and place the good confidence in me that I will retract what I have said, should I find it to be erroneous. On the other hand, they also declare themselves ready to be instructed. That they take this stance toward me has heartily gladdened me, and I testify to them here publicly that, should I arrive at the recognition that I have taught something erroneous, something contrary to the Word of Holy Scripture, I will, so God helps me, recant the error I have recognized, and indeed in such a way that it is a real, unambiguous recantation. For in the first place,

*) We have already, more than once, shared in the "Lutheraner" and in "Lehre und Wehre" fine testimonies of Ehler's teaching concerning the church, most recently in the 22nd number of the "Lutheraner" of last year. We now share the above essay all the more gladly, as it bears witness that a ferment is beginning even within the Prussian Lutheran church, without which a purification of that church would be impossible. May God soon grant the truth the victory over all hearts, and may that church soon be fully cleansed of all the papistry that has crept into it. D. R.