# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1847 06 15_S116
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

is: "because in God's Word we are repeatedly warned against all separation from our brethren." This is clearly set before us in Hebrews 10:24-25, where it says: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another." Here plainly are meant not only such assemblies in which the preacher alone conducted the discourse, but ones where each was free to speak, to exhort, to rebuke, and to counsel; just as we read of the most varied kinds of congregational meetings in apostolic times. Sometimes people came together only to edify one another; sometimes, as noted above, to take up and settle doctrinal and other disputes; sometimes to establish outward regulations, to appoint almoners, to elect and send out delegates to other congregations, to conduct investigations concerning accused persons; as we are told in the twenty-first chapter of Acts: when St. Paul once came to Jerusalem and there told James what great things God had done among the Gentiles through him, James explained to him that he had come under suspicion in his congregation, which consisted almost entirely of converted Jews, of rejecting Moses altogether; after this explanation James therefore said: "What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come." Further it says in 1 Timothy 5:20: "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." From all this we see how varied the meetings were, of all of which the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says: "Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." But we also hear how diligently the Christians came together while the fire of first love still burned; for it says in Acts 2: "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple — and praised God with gladness and singleness of heart." Frequent assembling, then, was not too much for the first Christians; they sought first the kingdom of God, they loved God's honor above all things, and sought their joy in Christian fellowship, and therefore what seemed a burden became a delight. Oh, that something similar might also be found among us! But here it is greatly lacking in many. Let us therefore consider what evil consequences a separation from the fellowship must have, even if it consists only in the manner already often mentioned. Alas, all too easily a greater division arises, once one lets oneself be led into what seems at first an entirely harmless and indifferent one. One stays away from the meetings; others notice this; at first it is excused, but at last all sorts of suspicious conjectures arise; one begins to doubt whether the one thus separated still cares at all about the whole cause of the congregation; one also does not quite venture to open one's misgivings to the one

against whom one has become filled with mistrust; and so, gradually, through the devil's fanning of the flame, there arises out of the small outward separation a division and a mutual estrangement of hearts. The one who forsakes the meetings notices that suspicion is being formed against him on that account; this offends him; he withdraws still further; and behold! thus, out of a matter that at first seemed quite trifling, a great and ruinous breach has come about. — This too is very important, that many newly joining members, because they do not attend the meetings, almost always remain strangers to the congregation, and that a frequent neglect of the meetings results in disagreement in the judgment of the members of the congregation concerning important matters discussed; yet this belongs above all to the marks of a true Christian congregation, that it be inwardly bound together in brotherly fashion, and above all, that it be united in faith and confession. Therefore St. Paul says, 1 Corinthians 1: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." But how can we better comply with this exhortation than by diligently assembling and there speaking frankly with one another, and finally uniting in the same judgment?

But I hasten to the conclusion. The last, namely the ninth reason, which I still must lay before you, is this: because through such withdrawal the brother is caused offense. Even if, therefore, one or another should find, in his own opinion, no fruit for his own person in the meetings, yet each should let himself be moved to attend them by considering how, through his example, he would lead others to do the same. What must result from this, however, has already been shown at length. Let no one regard this too lightly; the earthly mind is gaining the upper hand among us all too much already; the conformity of the world is already marching into the field against our congregation with great force. If, therefore, ever more people forsake the meetings, though not from such base motives, they will nevertheless, without wishing it, become the ringleaders of those who, out of sheer stinginess, will not spare the few hours, or who, out of fear of man and desire to please men, would rather not be counted altogether among us.

Before I now end my address, it will be necessary to remove two objections that might perhaps be raised against what has been said.

Many will perhaps say that it is dangerous here to bind the conscience and to prescribe laws. To this I reply as follows. By the representation that has been made, no man's conscience is being bound; God has already done that Himself, in that He gave the law to love one's neighbor, and in that He commanded the individual to be active for the whole. I do nothing further than to remind the consciences of Christians of an old debt that God has long since demanded. Let no one, then, sin against God and His holy Word by trying, in short and round terms, to strike down all these admonitions by saying: I will let no one bind my conscience over this. Instead of such a hasty pronouncement, let each one take God's Word before him; let him test everything by it, and to whatever agrees with it let him submit, without consulting flesh and blood about it or seeking groundless excuses of the flesh. — If, however, someone should be concerned that a legal compulsion might be made out of the duties of love, in this I am entirely in agreement with him. That neither shall nor may happen, no more here than in the case of attendance at public worship. If, therefore, someone has well-founded reasons for not attending the meetings at times, let him make no matter of conscience over it; then let him in God's name stay at home, and not concern himself whether some fault-finder looks askance at him for it. Each one stands or falls to his own Lord. Each one must know best himself where he may make use of his freedom, and where not. His earthly calling, of course, no one should or may neglect on account of attending the meetings of the congregation.

Now only one thing more! A fair number of members of the congregation, in my opinion, attend the meetings less mainly because things there do not proceed as they should. One very often hears it said: "What good would I be in there? what goes on in there is nothing but quarreling and strife." — To this I answer: first, this is not entirely true; to be fair, it must also be granted that things often go on there in a truly Christian and edifying manner. Yet, although it cannot be denied that at times things are said that are quite unedifying, and often quite bitter, and disputes are often carried on with reason alone, and many useless words are spoken, still I say: the matter is not helped or bettered by the fact that those who recognize the harm stay away — it only becomes worse. If the cart is stuck in the mire, if the house already stands in a devouring fire, what good does it do to run away from it? Then, precisely then, it matters most to lay hold vigorously! You, therefore, who see the ruin, step forward only without fear, rebuke the ungodly conduct, and all well-meaning persons will stand by your side. "Yes," you say, "I do not get through." Oh, only do not grow weary. David calls to us: "Right must after all remain right, and to it all pious hearts will fall." Only have patience, therefore, and do not cease with admonishing, with rebuking, with persuading, and your testimony will surely not remain unblessed; but should the others altogether refuse to hear, then the blessing would not fail to come, but would return upon yourself. "Yes," says another, "that is exactly what holds me back; I have no blessing in the meetings, but rather more harm, distraction of the mind, agitation, and the like."