# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1847 08 17_S143
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

the door, forbidding the Methodists to hold worship services in that church any longer. Nevertheless, the Methodists, together with their preacher, broke into that church on Sunday, July 25, 1847, after the lock had been removed.

We hereby bring this to the knowledge of our brethren in the faith, so that everyone may recognize the Methodist sect all the more precisely by its fruits.

The elders of the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Neumelle, St. Charles County, Missouri.

August 8, 1847.

Friedrich Kemmer,
Franz Heinrich Kämper.

Among the intruders were Methodists of the holiest sort, who claim to be already perfectly sanctified. One would think they would have had enough conscience and integrity not to force their way into a church whose entry had been expressly forbidden them by the majority of the owners. But what does the devil care about locks and notices, when he wants to set up his shameful idolatries? What does the murderous Methodist spirit care about the discipline and order of the Holy Spirit, so long as it can seduce souls? Hear the Lord's judgment on these uncalled Methodist fanatic-preachers: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10:1.

Under the laws of the state, the Methodists, if we were to bring suit against them, would be punished for their committed break-in to the church just as if they had broken into a store. But we leave the judgment to God.

Thanks be to the Lord that the false Methodist prophets, in their hatred of the Lutheran church, are increasingly casting off their glittering sheep's clothing, and now already stand quite openly before everyone's eyes as ravening wolves.

Keep us, Lord, steadfast in your Word,
And curb the murderous rage of your foes,
Who Jesus Christ, your Son,
Would cast down from your throne.
Hermann Fick.

From a private German correspondence.

Möllen in Lauenburg, May 29, 1847.

— — How do matters stand with our general church affairs? The fate of the Berlin General Synod has probably become known to you as well. There the Union broke its own staff over itself. Its concern was to establish an ordination formula binding on all preachers of the United Church, and it has now drawn up one that must deeply grieve every believing evangelical Christian, not to mention a Lutheran. The Augsburg Confession was, of course, too decided [for their purposes]; the Apostles' Creed likewise — on account of the [clauses] "born of a virgin" and "descended into hell" — and so they have now assembled one out of [various] Scripture passages, in which not only the above two articles are missing, but even the unequivocal confession of our Savior! The Friends of Light have been very pleased about this — all believers mourn. The King of Prussia, however, will certainly not let himself be swept along by his theologians, among whom, unfortunately, are even a Nitzsch and a Julius Müller. Harless notably champions the good cause. Otherwise, it is a good thing that the eyes of all who are only willing to see must now be opened. With the Friends of Light and the German Catholics, too, it will soon be over — the people are already falling out with one another. In the Gustavus Adolphus Society a crisis has come to a head. As is well known, Rupp of Königsberg was not admitted as a deputy at the Berlin general assembly. This caused a terrible uproar, and almost all the [local] societies have come out in favor of Rupp. Many have therefore renounced the society altogether; others have founded a separate ecclesiastical one. Now, the Lord has certainly not yet forsaken his church, and will yet turn our dear church into a blessing. Let us only hold fast to the confession and carry our own souls in our hands.

The Victory of Christian Candor.

After the Seven Years' War had happily ended, Frederick the Great particularly liked to have, among his table companions, the old General von Ziethen, who, whenever no princely persons were present, always had to sit next to him at his side. Once he had also had him invited to dinner on Good Friday; but Ziethen excused himself, saying he would not appear, since on this high feast day he always used to go to the Holy Supper, and afterward liked to remain in his devout frame of mind — he could not allow himself to be interrupted or disturbed in this.

When he next appeared again at the royal table at Sanssouci, and the conversation had soon, as usual, taken a cheerful, witty turn, the King jestingly put the question to his nearest neighbor: "Well, Ziethen, how did the Good Friday Lord's Supper agree with you? Did you digest the true body and the true blood of Christ properly too?" A loud, mocking laughter rang through the hall among the cheerful guests. Old Ziethen shook his grey head indignantly, rose, and, after bowing deeply before his king, addressed the following words to him in a loud, firm voice:

"Your Majesty knows that in war I have feared no danger, and that everywhere it mattered I have resolutely risked my life for you and the fatherland. This same disposition still animates me today, and if it serves a purpose and you command it, I will lay my grey head obediently at your feet. But there is One above us who is greater than you and I, greater than all men — that is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, who died for you and has dearly bought us all with his blood. This Holy One I will not allow to be touched or mocked, for upon him rests my faith, my comfort, and my hope in life and in death. In the strength of this faith your brave army has fought courageously and been victorious; if Your Majesty undermines this faith, you thereby undermine the welfare of the state as well. That is most certainly true. By your leave!"

The King was visibly moved by this speech. He rose, gave the valiant Christian general his right hand, laid his left hand on his shoulder, and said with emotion: "Fortunate Ziethen! Would that I too could believe it! I have respect for your faith. Hold fast to it; it shall not happen again."

A deep, solemn silence followed. No one had the courage to speak a word. And since, after such a solemn scene, the King himself could find no fitting transition to another conversation, he adjourned the table, even though it was only halfway through, and gave the sign of dismissal. To Ziethen, however, he extended his hand, with the words: "Come with me into my study!"

What the King and Ziethen said to each other when they were alone, no one knows; but this much is known: that from that time on the King treated old Ziethen with the greatest attention and gentleness, kept him continually near him, and after his death, when he was less satisfied with the morale of the army, repeatedly declared: "My old Ziethen was right after all. Give me back the army I had in the Seven Years' War."

Laying of the Cornerstone.

On the 5th of this month the cornerstone was laid for the second church of the local German Evangelical Lutheran congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, at the corner of 11th Street and Franklin Avenue. This notice [is sent] to our friendly brethren afar.

Notice.

The preachers of the St. Louis Conference District of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other states are hereby informed that this year's conference will be held on August 18–20 in Altenburg, Perry Co., Mo. The landing on the Mississippi is Wittenberg's Landing, about 100 miles below St. Louis.

Index for the Third Volume of the Lutheraner.
(The first figure indicates the page number, the second the column of that page.)

Lord's Supper, Holy: what the early church teaches concerning it, the same as the so-called Lutheran [church]. 117, 3. 126, 3.

Apostates, an appeal to them. 85, 1.

Agenda, Löhe's: falsely attacked by C. Weyl. 28, 1.

Alms, to whom they should be given. 107 ff.

Altars: things indifferent. 77, 3. 78, 2.

Official acts [of the ministry] can be valid even when performed unlawfully. 69, 3.

Articles of faith: whoever rejects one rejects all. 62, 1.

d'Aubigné, whose History of the Reformation contains manifest falsifications. 137, 3.

Augsburg Confession: altered by Melanchthon. 89, 2.

Registering for confession: conversations concerning it. 43. 47.

Confession: an example of a king's deep humility in it. 100, 1.

Conversion: how, and by what means? 64, 1.

Call of preachers: should not be temporary. 8, 5. Is not to be given up lightly. 16, 2.

Rebuke, brotherly. 128, 3.

Bible: the most indispensable book. 100, 3.

Images: the lawfulness of their use. 77, 3. 78, 2.

The Lutheran Messenger [Botschafter], a new periodical. 84, 3.