# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_October 1860_S317
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Luther's Table Talk and Church Postil. 317

reckless Ultramontanism drag out their existence in wretched fashion,
without any consciousness whatever of ecclesiastical unity or of
belonging to one another as members. And yet, given the already so
great want of the preaching of the pure Word of God from the pulpits,
it is precisely this point, on account of its consequences, that is very
painful, and it therefore redounds to the reproach of the church
government, and within it especially again to the chief representative
of purely spiritual affairs, the general superintendent, that the
diocesan and provincial synods — confirmed by the government as
long ago as 1833 for the Evangelicals of the whole realm — have been
thwarted from being held, for by this name alone can we describe the
cause of their failure to come about, seeing that not only in Russia for
twenty-five years now, but even in the Kingdom of Poland, the
Reformed — who number only five small congregations — hold their
synods annually, ever since the 1849 separation of the previously united
Lutheran and Reformed consistories. But the importance of these
synods, both for the pastors and for the congregations, is so palpably
evident that one cannot fail to grasp the deliberate ignoring of the
relevant laws by the consistory, which knows very well that with the
first synod it will sooner or later be compelled to convene, the birth-hour
will strike for the so-hated public opinion of the church, and that the
regime, so unworthy of the Evangelical church, carried on through
bureaucratic decrees and administrative measures utterly lacking any
churchly character, must come to an end. Only as one encouraging
beginning toward a new order of things can the fact be described that,
as reported, following the death of one of the superintendents, several
pastors of the diocese concerned have resolved to turn to the
consistory with a request for the convening of a diocesan synod for the
purpose of the new election of the superintendent; may they indeed
persist in this resolve, for given the prevailing state of the press and
other conditions in the land, the synods are probably the only means
for the reorganization of our disconsolate ecclesiastical conditions."

The reporter goes on to declare that he holds himself bound in
conscience, by virtue of his belonging to the Christian church, to enter
a public protest and reservation, not only in his own name but also in
the name of all those to whom it is still a true and earnest matter to
hold fast to the old Christian faith, and, he adds: "whose number,
thank God, is greater among us than the enemies of the divine Word
suppose."

(From the Evangelical Church Gazette.)

Luther's Table Talk and Church Postil.

The bookseller O. Kritz in Berlin (Oberwallstr. 5) offers to let go, at
direct order and upon prepaid remittance of the amount, the excellent
edition of Luther's Table Talk by Förstemann and Bindseil, 4 volumes,
comprising 2232 pages, large octavo (list price 8 thalers), for the
extremely low price of 1 thaler 7½ groschen. Likewise, at the same
price, the edition of the Church Postil by Franke, 2 volumes, 1468
pages. The editors take the liberty of inviting their readers, and above
all the reverend pastors who do not yet possess these works, not to
miss this opportunity to acquire them, an opportunity offered in this
manner as never before, and one which will probably last only a short
time, since the stock is only a relatively small