# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Mai 1862_S158
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Church-Contemporary History. 158

South Australia. We read the following in Ehlers's Kirchliches Zeitblatt of March 1: Many readers are doubtless aware that the Lutherans in South Australia (capital Adelaide) had unhappily split into two larger parties, of which the one held with the now-departed Pastor Kavel, while the other gathered around Pastor Fritzsche. Pastor Kavel had, 15 years ago, lodged a protest against certain doctrinal points of the Lutheran confessional writings; Pastor Fritzsche, on the other hand, together with those attached to him, held strictly to the confession of the Church. — The Australian Christenbote now brings, in No. 11 of last year, the welcome news that a healing of the long-standing breach may be hoped for. A synod was in fact held at Light's Pass from October 20-22 of last year, at which the congregations that had hitherto followed Pastor Kavel withdrew their "protests against certain passages in the symbolical books of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church." A document publishing this withdrawal has already been printed. Thereafter, on the afternoon of the 21st, was discussed: "the position of our congregations toward the synodical association of Lobethal, Hahndorf, Bethanien, etc."

and the report states: "Since, after the withdrawal of the protests, nothing further remains to divide the congregations from one another, the hope was loudly and joyfully expressed that the time of reunion could not be far off. Only the doctrine of the last things must be left more open (alas!), and a cordial and sincere inward and outward rapprochement of the pastors must be desired and initiated by themselves." — May God in his grace continue to help, and unite in love of the truth what had been divided through the rejection of pure doctrine.

Pastor Hofmann in Gedern, in Hesse, writes to Ehlers: In the middle of January the verdict of the Grand Ducal Court in Gießen arrived, that the fine of 60 gulden was to stand. With trial, attorney, and travel costs it may come to 100 gulden. So there now awaits me, before long, distraint, and, since my property would hardly bring in 10 gulden at auction, imprisonment. But that is not enough! Shortly afterward came a further condemnation from the Grand Ducal District Court at Ortenberg, for a new 80 gulden. And this seems bound to go on, since the local authority keeps continually laying charges. If the Lord himself does not intervene, then a prison cell appears in prospect as my dwelling for the greater part of this year. Do pray for us, that the Lord may strengthen us. We know, of course, that we shall afterward have to thank the Lord for this too. Indeed, we already have cause to thank Him now for these gloomy prospects, whereby the heart that would fly upward is kept low and taught to look, to build, and to trust in Him alone. He will surely do what is best for the honor of His kingdom — and for us as well. The following is a copy of a complaint lodged against Hofmann: Gedern, Oct. 3, 1861. To Whom It May Concern. The former court-chaplaincy administrator Hofmann has, by an order of the Grand Ducal Ministry of the Interior, been forbidden all official acts as a clergyman. Since he pays no heed to this prohibition, he has also been punished. Despite the penalty imposed upon him, he again, on Sunday — that is, the 29th of September — held morning and afternoon worship services for his company, and a member of this company, one Christine Strupp, declared that he would not desist even if, on account of the assessed penalty, they should lose their entire property. Since this Hofmann does not submit to the law, I must ask the most honorable district office that this Hofmann be expelled from Gedern. Oberheim.

Pastor Löfflad in Lobsens has laid down his office, since he can no longer submit himself to the Upper Church Collegium in Breslau, and is convinced that his congregation is not equal to a struggle with the forcibly intervening Upper Church Collegium.

Pastor Diedrich's Disclosure. Under this title Dr. Münkel writes the following in his paper of February 14: It will be recalled from an earlier article that Könnemann propounds a new doctrine of the Church. The Church of Christ, he teaches, is the Lutheran Church alone, insofar as it teaches the Word of God purely and clearly.