# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Mai 1859_S157
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Church and Contemporary History. 157

II. Abroad.

Hungary. Of this the Lutheran Village Church Gazette writes: Hungary, joined to imperial Austria, has, besides Reformed and Roman congregations, also many evangelical, that is, Lutheran ones. Since the middle of the last century open unbelief has reigned there from almost every pulpit. Yet now, where another wind is blowing, it takes on a measure of accommodation. That lies in its own supple sort and nature. It also shrinks from what remains of the faith in the congregations and to some extent puts on a different cloak. In free-thinking rationalism there is indeed a fertile soil for the hypocrisy now so much dreaded, where a man does not honestly say and do what is in his heart. Its sun, however, is fading, and men wait for the dawn of a new day.—The outward condition of the Lutheran church there resembles our own situation. Its members, just as for their bodily necessities, must also provide for their spiritual needs entirely out of their own means. Therefore the church, even in its misshapen state, is worth more to them than to many for whom it costs nothing. To be sure, so meager an income is granted to the teachers and church servants that they often must suffer bitter want. Otherwise, discipline against moral offenses is found in the congregations (would that it were only spiritual!); but none at all against false doctrine. Likewise church attendance is fairly diligent, with regular catechetical instruction on Sunday afternoons in which even the old take part. The examination of the betrothed is a matter of church order, by which the pastor is to discern whether the couple can well preside over a Christian household. In some places Matins and Vespers are held in the churches every morning and evening, well attended in winter, to which the whole school youth is regularly brought. Household devotions, too, are still to be found, especially in German families, where the old core hymns ring out, while in church an "improved" hymnbook is in use. Private confession and absolution are found almost everywhere.—These are some few stones on the great rubbish-heap of the church, a remnant out of the fidelity and faith of the fathers. Would that Zion might also be rebuilt in the land of Hungary, which has had not a few martyrs in the Reformation. But the shepherds sleep in proud security together with the sheep. What stirs and moves works for a free church constitution. Yet they are not so readily given a free hand as the Romanists have been given in the "Concordat." And one must sadly ask: what would the fullest freedom bring the Lutheran church without unity and a firm ground in confession?

Hanover. Casting a glance at the church conditions here, the Lutheran Village Church Gazette writes, among other things: It is also astonishing that the Lutheran consistory in the Hanoverian duchy of Bremen urgently recommends to the preachers of its district the "New Evangelical Church Gazette," which the men of the "Evangelical Alliance" in Berlin have published. At first we did not quite trust the report in the "Protestant Church Gazette"; now it is confirmed from a reliable source. This new paper is reportedly to outstrip in rank the old Evangelical Church Gazette of Prof. Hengstenberg (which has, indeed, likely passed the height of its fame) and, through its broad-mindedness, to serve all "children of God" under heaven. Mr. Lehmann, preacher of the Anabaptists in Berlin, has likewise urgently recommended it to his own people. He says in his circular letter: "To my dear brothers and friends I can make the gladdening announcement that, after overcoming many difficulties, the new Evangelical Church Gazette will begin to appear on the 1st of January, 1959. In it not only will the interests of the [Baptist] Union be represented from every side, but it will also make it its concern to commend and defend religious freedom vigorously. Through a close relationship to the editorial staff I shall be in a position to look after the interests of our Baptist congregations in the paper as well, and our brothers generally will have opportunity to communicate here, so far as it is suitable and does not conflict with the principles of the Union, whatever they wish to see brought to general notice out of their experiences. I wish, therefore, that the new Evangelical Church Gazette may find the widest circulation in our congregations; and should the price make it impossible for our less well-off brothers to keep it (it costs 4 thalers a year), the congre-