# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juni 1862_S167
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Report on the Right Mean of the Lutheran Liturgy. 167

Christian Churches, that the Gospel be preached there in harmony, according to a pure understanding, and the Sacraments administered in accordance with the divine Word. And it is not necessary for the true unity of the Christian Churches that uniform ceremonies, instituted by men, be observed everywhere, as Paul says, Eph. 4: One body, one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism."

Formula of Concord, Epitome, Art. 10, sub II: "We believe, teach, and confess that the Congregation of God of every place and every time has the power, according to its circumstances, to change such ceremonies in the manner that may be most useful and edifying for the Congregation of God." Cf. Solid Declaration, Art. 10.

§5.
The Principle of Christian Love.

Just as little as liturgies and orders of worship are necessary for salvation or for the true unity of the Church, and the conscience of Christians is therefore wholly free from them, just so necessary and useful are they for discipline and good order. For this very reason, freedom must, precisely here, let itself be governed by love. This love directs us to bear with the weak, for the sake of peace to conform ourselves, even in outward matters, to the whole body, and to claim nothing peculiar to ourselves above others in this regard, and just as much to avoid introducing innovations needlessly and out of frivolity.

1 Cor. 11:16: "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom (v. 13), neither the churches of God."

Phil. 4:5: "Let your moderation be known unto all men." On this word writes

Luther, Church Postil, 4th Sunday in Advent: "Such is the meaning of the little word which the Apostle uses here, epieikeia, aequitas, clementia, commoditas, which in German I know how to render no otherwise than by the word Gelindigkeit [gentleness, forbearance] — that one bends and accommodates oneself, adapts and makes oneself even with another, and is like everyone else, alike to one as to another, one who does not make himself the standard and the rule for others and insist that everyone must bend, accommodate, and moderate himself according to him. . . . This is also to be understood of ceremonies, singing, prayers, and all other church orders, so long as this is done out of love and freedom: it should be observed only for the service and the will of the assembly that is present, where the thing itself is otherwise not evil. But if anyone insists that it must be so, then one should at once desist and act to the contrary, in order to preserve the freedom of faith.

The same, German Mass and Order of Divine Service, 1526: "Although it is indeed left to each one's own conscience how he makes use of such freedom, and no one is to hinder or forbid it to another,