# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Februar 1859_S35
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Preface to the 1859 Volume. 35

saints who triumph in heaven with Christ. Of the church of the elect who triumph in heaven it is rightly said that she is subject to no error, not even the least, because with the clear vision of God no error, not even the least, can stand. As regards the church of the elect who are still fighting on earth, an answer must be given with distinction, since there are two kinds of errors, of which some are fundamental, overturning the very foundation of faith, while the others are non-fundamental, which can coexist with the foundation of faith; and since error can occur in two ways, either only for a time, or until death. The elect can, namely, fall into errors for a time (and some do actually fall into them), not only into lighter ones but also into fundamental ones; nevertheless they work their way out of these again before the end of their life, for otherwise they would not be those properly so-called elect of whom we are speaking here according to our purpose; hence they do not persist to the death in fundamental errors, though they can become entangled not only for a time but even until death in lighter errors (which the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3:12, calls hay and stubble), which are, however, consumed in them by the fire of the cross and of temptation, so that they do not overturn their salvation. The catholic Church of those called comprises all believers or confessors of all times and places. If now the question is asked with respect to this Church whether it can err, our answer is that the whole Church does not err; which we explain thus, both with respect to times and to places: although such times can occur, and sometimes actually do occur, in which corruptions take over the public exercise of religion, yet the whole catholic Church of all times does not err, because God always, from time to time, raises up prophets and other faithful servants of the church who punish those corruptions in doctrine, reform divine worship, and restore the Church to her original splendor. And although the corruptions sometimes take over the whole visible Church and the public church office in all particular churches everywhere, so that nowhere is a pure and uncorrupted preaching office left, yet the whole Church never errs in such a way that there should not be some who, simply following the guidance of the Word, are so sanctified in truth and in faith, through the governance and mighty working of the Holy Spirit, that they retain the foundation of salvation, remain free from fundamental errors, and are preserved by God's power through faith unto salvation — although at times they are few, and, while persecutions and corruptions rage publicly, lie so hidden that they are not publicly recognized before the world. Here may also be reckoned the fact that some picture the matter in such a way that in the visible Church of the New Testament, chiefly four changes or forms are to be observed. 1. She was beautifully adorned at the time of the apostles and martyrs, when, though be-