# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1916_S61
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1916. 61

endangering errors of the Pope, and also see to it that this light of the Gospel shines also for our children, our youth, then in this struggle the victory will be ours. It cannot fail; we have for it the promise of our faithful God, who stands firm by his promises, whose grace does not depart, whose promises do not fall away, even if one day the mountains depart and the hills fall, when the elements themselves melt with heat, and the earth and the works that are therein are burned up in the fire of the last judgment. We shall keep the victory; that does not mean that we shall destroy the papacy, wholly demolish it. According to God's prophecy it will remain until the end of the days. As long as this earth stands, the papacy too will maintain itself and will strive to seduce the nations of the earth with its lying signs and wonders. Even if at times it appears weakened in its power and in its influence, it will always rise again. The papacy will constitute a constant danger for Christ's Church. She is to be armed against this danger at all times and to prove also in this respect her fidelity to her Lord and King. What it means, however, is this: we shall be kept safe from the power of its seduction, we shall open the eyes of many, that they may recognize the danger, we shall free many who are in its kingdom from it, that they may find their Savior and recognize the Pope as what he is, as the true great Antichrist, who wants to destroy Christ's kingdom. We shall contribute our part to this, that our whole country too may be preserved from its presumptions, from its dominion. All this is truly a precious gain, truly worth the hardest, most earnest struggle.

And one day the time will also come when the Pope and his following will be wholly laid low. The Lord himself "will make an end of him by the appearance of his coming." The Last Day is coming, even if we do not know when it will occur. And on that day the Lord himself, our great King of grace, Jesus Christ, will appear in his power and glory. Then all enemies will be laid wholly as a footstool for his feet. As the Lord then puts an end to the devil and his temptations and seductions, so also to the devil's creature, the papacy. Then it is over with the alleged vicegerency of Christ, with the arrogated dominion over the whole flock of Christ, indeed over the whole world. And with him his kingdom passes away and all who adhered to him. "But we are bound to give thanks to God," so the Apostle goes on, after he has prophesied of the Antichrist and foretold his complete downfall, "always for you, beloved brethren of the Lord, that God has chosen you from the beginning to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and in belief of the truth, whereunto he has called you through our Gospel to the glorious possession of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then stand, dear brethren, and hold to the ordinances which