# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1844 12 22_S36
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The petitioners support their wish to see that formula abolished with four reasons. They show, first, that it is a disturbing, human addition, since at Holy Communion the minister of the Church does not narrate, but stands in Christ's stead (2 Corinthians 5:20). They point out, second, that this formula is obscure and ambiguous, when one considers how it came about that precisely this formula was chosen. This happened, namely, only in more recent times, when an attempt was made to unite Lutherans and Reformed outwardly; for this purpose that formula was found quite suitable, for when the minister says, "Christ says: this is my body," etc., it is left to both parties how they wish to interpret the words. (For this reason the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: "Do not write, The King of the Jews, but that he said, I am King of the Jews." — This formula, too, the enemies of Christ would gladly have accepted. Hence even the unbelieving Rationalists, that is, the mere reasoners, do not refuse to distribute Holy Communion with the very same words as the Evangelicals.)

The third reason the petitioners give for the abolition of that formula is that it has always been a distinguishing mark of the Reformed Church, and has now also become a shibboleth (a password; compare Judges 12:6) of the Unionists. Now if it is the duty of every orthodox congregation at all times to accept nothing by which it might bring upon itself the suspicion of approving the false teaching of heterodox communions, then, fourth, the Lutheran congregations in North America especially have need to be well on their guard in this regard, since here they are swarmed about by so countless a number of sects. Every Lutheran who hates all double-tonguedness and is truly devoted to the truth and to his Church will heartily wish that the just petition of the aforenamed men may find good favor. The Union-minded do indeed say that their formula of distribution is genuinely biblical, whereas the Lutherans add something when they say, "This is the true body," etc.; but however easily a simple person may be deceived by this, the claim is just as groundless. The Lord, in the first place, did not say at the distribution, "Christ says: this is," etc. And when the Unionists accuse us of adding something, in that we confess that what Christ says is true, they thereby betray a way of thinking before which a Christian heart must recoil. What? Do you call it an addition (Revelation 22:18) when we give honor to our Savior, the Almighty and the True One? When we say: You say, Lord Jesus, "This is my body," and therefore we also believe that it truly is your body? — Oh, that one might indeed recognize what one is doing when one seeks to persuade one's poor hearers that those make an addition who confess that what the Son of God says is true! Who can be a Christian, who can love his Savior, who would not

[illegible]

36

wish that all people, with their whole heart, would add to every word of Christ: This is true!

The Remarkable Conversion of a Mocker, When He Sought to Receive Holy Baptism in Jest.

Genesius, an actor at Rome, once sought, among other things, to gain the favor of the Emperor Diocletian (died in the year 313 after Christ) by making the faith of the hated Christians an object of ridicule in the public plays which he directed. In order to bring the more lifelike portrayals to the stage, he often attended the assemblies of the Christians, where he took careful note of their customs. Once, in the performance of a comedy, he was also to imitate the baptism of the Christians and play the part of a man who, on his deathbed, desired this sacrament. But what happened? At the very moment when the disguised presbyter (preacher) approached him to perform the holy act upon him in mockery, that apostolic word which he had shortly before heard in a house of prayer of the Christians suddenly presented itself to his soul: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all" (Ephesians 4:5–6). With divine power this testimony pressed into his heart; he could not resist, resolved at once to become a Christian, and now confessed this loudly before the assembled company. The Emperor, who was also present, was at this greatly delighted, still supposing that Genesius was carrying on his role with deceptively lifelike skill. But when he finally saw that Genesius was in dead earnest about wanting to become a Christian — since the latter loudly confessed his repentance for having mocked the holy Christian religion and its mysteries — the Emperor fell into as great a rage as consternation. He gave orders that the confessor be flogged on the spot, and, since he remained steadfast, that he be tortured most cruelly, rolled naked back and forth over iron spikes, and roasted with torches. Yet no pain was able to shake Genesius, whom God's hand had touched, in his resolve. So at last his head was struck off.

The Savior a Little Child — Great Comfort!

A great woman sinner once found all comfort slipping away from her. When she thought of the Last Day, she said: My sins are more numerous than the sand of the sea; how shall I then stand? When she thought of Paradise, it said in her heart: You do not belong in there, for outside are the dogs (Revelation 22:15). When she thought of the suffering of Christ, heavy thoughts came to her: Yes, of that you have willfully robbed yourself; you have trampled the blood of the Lord Christ underfoot. In such comfortlessness this sinner once went to church on Christmas Day; and when she now heard there that the Lord Jesus had also once been a little child, she at once took hold of this comforting thought: Little children cannot hold on to anger; so let, my Lord Jesus, your just wrath also fall away from me, poor sinner, and show yourself toward me as you were, as a little child. Little children can be talked out of anything; ah, you dear, godly, sweet, praiseworthy little child Jesus, let yourself also be talked into forgiving my sins, that I may be saved. — Thereupon her heart was content.

The Best Time to Repent.

Rabbi Eleazar used to say: Repent, at the very least, one day before your death. But when his disciples once asked him how one could hit upon such a time, since the hour of death is so uncertain, he answered them: For this very reason one should turn to God today, so that one might not perhaps die tomorrow in one's sins and be lost forever. For just as the one who goes to sea and has not first provided himself on land with food and other necessities of life cannot afterward obtain such things on the water, so also is it with the one who does not repent in this life.

Hymn at the Manger.

Away, world! Here is my ornament, my gold;
Away! Here is my delight;
Here I have found what my heart desired,
Therefore I let all else lie.
Yes, little child, dear little child,
You shall be my one and all.

As often as I laugh, I laugh to you,
To you flow my tears,
My heaven are you to me already here,
You still the heart's longing.
My salvation, my Lord and God are you,
You bring my spirit to its rest!

Therefore my heart beats, therefore my blood surges
With thanks, and praise, and glory
To you, Father, for the highest good
That you gave me from above.

Come soon, my Father, fetch me,
So will I praise you forever.

A Verdict on a Godless Book.

Kästner, who made himself so famous through his epigrams (he died in 1800 as professor of natural science at Göttingen), was once asked in company by the well-known jurist Böhmer what he thought of Voltaire's Pucelle.

Kästner was silent, at once took up a playing card, and wrote the following on it:

To the legions in Hell
Beelzebub read Voltaire's Pucelle,
And every devil was all ears.
"You flatter no son of Adam,"
Said Lucifer from his flaming throne,
"He only wrote it, and I dictated it to him."

Which he then handed to Böhmer.

Printed by Weber and Olshausen.