# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_October 1860_S308
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

308                                                    Indirect Declaration by Löhe concerning His Position within the Lutheran Church.

...symbols have been rightly recognized and justly rejected. We are therefore*) fully at one with the church. Nevertheless, there still remain, in the grasp of the doctrine and in the fixing of the boundaries between us and others, many unresolved points, and very often justice and fairness can be handled in different ways. Our mind and intention are, then, to proceed in this matter, on every side, so that we distinguish the times, take note of the gifts which the Lord has given to the various churches at various times, and generally take into consideration all and every circumstance under which the various churches arose and formed themselves, and let ourselves be determined by no precedent that came to light in the times of the first conflict and strife, and by no party allegiance, to bend or break the norm of the divine Word. It may seem to others to be exactly the opposite — we well understand that — but it is nonetheless so, that we have taken sobriety and moderation, such as the holy Paul so often commends and recommends, as the goal of our churchly conduct. Precisely because we have firm ground under our feet, and no longer let ourselves be swayed and weighed by every wind of doctrine, by the roguery of men and by deception, precisely for that reason we can look calmly on every side and apply the standard of the divine Word. Precisely because we know ourselves separated from all other confessions, we can search out the grounds of unity, and be more just and fair than others. Precisely because our possession is already so great, we need neither envy others nor slander them; we can acknowledge the good that they have, and make it our own, if it is worth the trouble to do so. It is indeed true that, given the circumstances in which we live, it is not at all simple to pursue our tendency; it is a difficult and, precisely for that reason, also a dangerous matter,**) as surely as it is true that we would give a good example if we could do what we will and doubtless also ought. Hence it has already become, among us, a standing prayer: "Give me, O Lord, that I can do what I should, and should do what I can." Would that many among us might unite in such a prayer, and pray earnestly, for all who belong to our tendency, for the gift of the right measure, of true justice and fairness in the application of our supreme principle, of conformity to Scripture! To an age torn apart, going off into countless opinions, that seeks independence and originality in an unbounded assertion of human opinion, it would be, could we but obtain it, a very needful and blessed gift granted by the Lord, if our tendency could grow stronger, and the number and strength of those could increase who stand on firm

*) It is indeed naive to expect the reader to draw the same conclusion. L. u. W.
**) So, after all, Löhe's conscience preaches this too! Would that he followed it faithfully! L. u. W.