# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Januar 1860_S12
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

12    Preface to the 1860 Volume.

...university, or in the end perhaps none at all, should exist and remain — a thing which, indeed, he would not gladly have . . For if Duke George, in order to uphold falsehood, had let the greater part of his university at Leipzig dwindle away, then his Electoral Grace, according to the will of God, would also have to consider whether, for the preservation of the truth, something similar should be allowed to befall this university as well." (See Luther's Works. Halle ed. XVII, 2627-28.) Upon this, Brück then reported, among other things, the following as the result of his negotiations with Luther: "Dr. Martinus says and confesses that he would never have thought that Philip still stuck so stubbornly in these fantasies. He indicated, besides, that he indeed had all sorts of apprehensions, and could not know how Philip stood with regard to the Sacrament. He had also brought forward arguments, from the time when he was at Cassel, from which he gathered that he [Philip] was almost of the Zwinglian opinion;*) yet how it stood in his heart, he did not yet know. But the secret letters and counsels — that under the tyrants one might receive the Sacrament in one kind — gave him strange thoughts. But he wished to share his heart with Philip, and would very gladly wish that Philip, being an eminent man, should not withdraw from them and from the school here; for he was indeed doing great work: but should he persist in that opinion, as he had noted from the letter to Dr. Jacob, then the truth of God must take precedence. He would intercede for him . . It was, he said, in short, no longer a mere weakness . . I told him for what Your Electoral Grace regarded Philip's opinion, and held it to be this: that he, Melanchthon, was holding back until he should see his time and opportunity, and especially if he should live to see the Doctor's death. Dr. Martinus thinks: if he does so, he will become a wretched man and will have no peace for his conscience's sake. I think it does no harm that Dr. Martinus keeps pressing and speaks earnestly and from the heart with Philip. There is a chain there, which in these matters hangs together somewhat." (Loc. cit., 2628-29.) The latter did indeed happen on Luther's part, and Melanchthon — ducked his head. Now if this conduct of Luther's toward Melanchthon is an example of the "knowing how to bear different directions within our Church in her best times," then we agree with Mr. Pastor Löhe with all our heart. But then, to be sure, his reproach does not touch us, for it is precisely that conduct of Luther's which has always served us as a model for our own procedure.**)

*) How dishonestly M. had acted at Cassel may be seen from a letter to Camerarius, in which he writes that there he had had to present the doctrine "of our side," Bucer that of his own, concerning the Lord's Supper, and adds: "Do not ask me now for my own opinion, for I was the messenger of another's." See Concord. Concors., p. 336.

**) We need not at all appeal to such examples as this — that, following Luther's decision, the preacher Moor in Naumburg was, among others, removed from his office and transferred, because he had omitted from his sermons the doctrinal refutation of the Papists, although he himself preached the Gospel. See Corpus Reformatorum, Vol. V, p. 814-16.