# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_November 1862_S333
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

A Brotherly Greeting from Germany, by Fr. Brunn. 333

You see, beloved brethren, what binds me to you: the confession of pure doctrine, the true unity and fellowship of faith and of spirit. Therefore I may also joyfully confess before you what makes my connection with your Synod a truly heartfelt matter of faith, and what has driven and still drives me to a churchly mission work for your Synod, to the establishment of our Proseminary here for it: it is not merely the outward circumstances arranged by God that brought this about, but chiefly and above all the fellowship of spirit and faith with you, the heartfelt desire to stand with you in the same confession of doctrine and to fight with you the same fight of faith against all the arts of lying and seduction in this evil, troubled time. In this fight I would like to strengthen you, as far as my slight powers allow; in the same fight that is also appointed for us here in Germany, I too seek strengthening, comfort, and help from you and in your fellowship. So may gracious God grant that our Proseminary here become a living bond between your Synod and us; may He let it become a testimony to you that in Germany not all sympathy for you, not all understanding of your churchly struggle, not all unity of mind and spirit with you has died out — a testimony to you that our German-Lutheran church by no means regards Missourian doctrine as a sectarian aberration to be cast off; and for Germany, may our Proseminary here be a testimony to the purity and truth of the Lutheran confession, as we would wish to bear public witness to it together with your Synod, so that ever more may become sober out of the snares of false subjectivity and opinions of the age, and learn together with us to find the way back to the old, pure truth of God, as it is eternally and unchangeably laid down in the confession of the Lutheran church, and explained and attested in the writings of Luther and the old fathers.

How graciously and wonderfully the Lord has caused the establishment of our Proseminary here, and its prosperous progress up to this day, to succeed, has probably already become known to you, beloved brethren. Despite the shortness of the time, a firm foundation has already been laid, with God's help, in the work begun. Without excessive effort or expense, the necessary arrangements have been made here in Steeden, in my parsonage, to be able to receive 9-10 students and provide them with board and lodging. But that there has been no lack, up to now, either of the people or of the means for their housing and support; that the Lord has guided all the circumstances so wisely and gloriously in this, that everything had to fall into place, turn out as hoped, and succeed; that He has especially and graciously stood by me myself, so that alongside the holy preaching office entrusted to me, I have been able to find time and strength both for instructing the students and for directing the whole work — all this is a quite visible proof of the power and grace of the Lord, and a pledge of His blessing and