# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 02 22_S103
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

and, as we note, intends to add henceforth. This time the report contains, both in English and in German, Luther's excellent sermon "On the Sin against the Holy Spirit," from the Church Postil. —

All correspondence concerning the synod is to be sent to the assistant secretary at the address: Rev. J. R. Moser, Flint Rock, Catawba Co., N.C.

We confess that this closer acquaintance we have made with this synod has filled us with the best prejudice in its favor; as far as we can judge from the report, it is in earnest about preserving the treasure of pure Lutheran doctrine.

Church Examinations with the Youth.

But be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15).

The former Prussian minister and tutor of King Frederick II, Herr von Prinz, had a village in the vicinity of Berlin, where Joh. Porst, at that time still a young man, was the preacher. In this congregation a catechism instruction was to be introduced, and not only the children but also the old people were to be examined. When Porst therefore made representation to his church patron about this, and asserted that parents and married people would, out of false pride, be ashamed to answer his questions, the minister replied to him: "In the afternoon hold catechism class. I will come to church, and then you shall question me myself; I will answer, then I will see — and ask me quite a lot — and after that others — and then me again." This actually happened, and no one considered it a disgrace to give an account of his religion.

*

For the Sake of a Few, Do Not Condemn All!

Doctor Brochmand, who died in 1652, bishop of the Norwegian diocese of Seeland, was once a guest at the wedding feast of a friend. At table, among other things, mention was also made of the poor conduct of a certain preacher. Some were astonished at it, others pitied him. A noble lady, presumably one of those who like to hold forth in company, viewed the matter from another side, and said with a scornful expression: "There, we see what sort of people our priests are!" Bishop Brochmand was sitting there; as head of the clergy it grieved him to hear the clerical estate spoken of so contemptuously in general; nevertheless he found this insipid remark not worthy of a serious answer. Shortly afterward, however, he brought up a story about a distinguished lady who was known for her poor conduct, and in the course of the story remarked: "From this, however, it by no means follows that all our noble ladies should be like that."

"I cannot pray, I must curse while doing so."

So writes Luther, and continues thus: If I am to say, "Hallowed be thy name," I must at the same time say, "Cursed, damned, and disgraced be the name of all those who blaspheme thy name." If I am to say, "Thy kingdom come," I must at the same time say, "Cursed, damned, and laid waste be all the kingdoms on earth that are opposed to thy kingdom." If I am to say, "Thy will be done," I must at the same time say, "Cursed, damned, disgraced, and brought to nothing be all the thoughts and designs of all who strive against thy will." Truly, thus I pray every day, aloud and with my heart, without ceasing, and with me all who believe in Christ, and I also well feel that it is heard. Nevertheless I keep a good, friendly, peaceable, and Christian heart toward everyone; my greatest enemies know this too. (Luther's Works, Leipzig edition, vol. 24, p. 344.)

The Hen's Egg.

When the reformer of Württemberg, Johann Brenz, had scarcely returned to Stuttgart from his flight from the imperial commissioners, Duke Ulrich once had him summoned late at night, and informed him that his return had been betrayed, and that a troop of Spanish cavalry had been ordered and was already on its way to seek him out. On the way home, the shaken man of faith lifted up eyes and heart to the Lord; when he had come home, he threw himself upon his knees and commended himself to God in earnest supplication. When he rose, it seemed to him as though someone spoke to him: "Take a loaf of bread, and go up the Birkenwald (now the upper part of the city in Stuttgart), and wherever you find the house door open, go in there, and hide yourself under the roof." He took this as a divine direction, took a loaf of bread under his arm, and went there. He found all the house doors locked, except the last one. Here he went in, and without being noticed by anyone, up to under the roof, where he hid himself between a stack of firewood and the roof.

Already on the next day the imperial colonel moved in, and for fourteen full days carried out a strict house-to-house search. Brenz heard daily, from the street below, from the conversation of the people, the progress of the search, until on the last day it also came near him and to the house where he was hidden. Kneeling and praying, he heard the clashing of weapons, until at last they approached his hiding place. He heard the blades thrust through the woodpile, and even had to dodge a thrust that came down from above. At last he heard, to his joy: "Come on, he is not there either!" The next day they withdrew.

But how could Brenz live for fourteen days on a single loaf of bread? God had commanded a hen to provide for him. On the first morning this hen crept in between the woodpile and the roof, and laid an egg near his feet; then, contrary to the habit of hens, she went quietly away again. Brenz took the egg, cut himself a piece of bread to go with it, and thanked God heartily for this meal. The next day the hen came again, and so throughout the fourteen days always at the same time, so that he daily enjoyed his good meal. It was remarkable that the hen no longer came on the fifteenth day, which was also when Brenz heard the people on the street say: "Now they are gone." For safety's sake he remained until evening, and spent the rest of the day in thanksgiving and praise.

Absolution.

No Christian and evangelical preacher can open his mouth without pronouncing an absolution. Luther's Church Postil.

The Eagles.
(Isa. 40:30, 31.)

On swift wings the eagle
Soars into the skies,
And circles in lovely rings
Through the sky-blue air.
Full of pride and delight he beats
His strong pair of wings;
Freely he gazes into the sun,
The kingly eagle.

Young boys fall,
And men sink down.
But the Christians refresh
Their limbs with new strength.
[illegible]
[illegible]
Therefore they rise up anew
On eagles' wings.

And as heroes fight
They contend with the throng of foes;
And as victors march
They pass through their dense ranks;
And as eagles soar
They rise up to the Lord,
To shout for joy with him
Among blessed hosts in the higher choir. H. Fick.

(Submitted.)

A Contribution to the Characterization of Methodist Preachers.

Repeatedly urged by the Germans in and around Staunton, Macoupin Co., Ill., to preach God's Word to them from time to time, I traveled there in the spring of last year. To be sure, I found the greater part of them minded toward Union and, in part, Reformed doctrine on the Holy Supper; nevertheless, I promised the Lutherans there that I would take charge of them and hold a service for them every six weeks on a weekday, and since the others likewise asked me not to abandon them, I hoped, through loving and patient instruction, to win them over gradually to the full truth. I thereby made no small sacrifice for these people, since Staunton lies about 30 miles from my residence, and the care of my two rural congregations with preaching and school instruction takes up all my time and strength; yet compassion for the poor sheep in the wilderness, and the confidence that it is all the same to the Lord whether he helps by much or by little, have led me gladly to bring this sacrifice for the past three quarters of a year. Behold, about six weeks ago a Methodist preacher appeared there, by the name of Kunz (?), and offered himself to the people as a preacher. Unchristian as his uncalled-for appearance itself already is, still more unchristian is the manner in which he seeks to gain entrance