# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_November 1859_S346
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

346

(Submitted.)
The Evangelical Supreme Church Council and the Evangelical
Church Gazette.

The former issued, on April 7 of this year, a communication to all the consistories of Prussia, in which, with reference to the protest of the Evangelical Church Gazette, it warns against arousing partisan passions in order to storm against the authorities by means of protests and demonstrations, and against inciting resistance to the same.

Dr. Hengstenberg, in response, gives in No. 42 of his Church Gazette a reply which, in both content and form, is a faithful reflection of the Petrine exhortation, 1 Pet. 3:15–16, and a true model of a Christian's defense on account of his faith. We share with our readers a few of the finest passages from it:

Had the Right Reverend Supreme Church Council felt compelled to come forward publicly with a warning against the Evangelical Church Gazette, one might at least have expected a few words of warm recognition for the endeavor of a paper that has now served the cause of the Church for two-and-thirty years. For it is indeed so pleasant to a Christian heart, where one must oppose those who nevertheless stand on some common ground, at the same time to acknowledge what one can in good conscience acknowledge; and such a stance — truly commanded far more by John 17 than any union brought about by human means — we have always striven to maintain. How warmly have we, in a whole long series of articles, acknowledged what the Right Reverend Evangelical Supreme Church Council has done for the general church visitations — this so richly blessed institution, marked with the seal of the Lord of the Church, which now, to our deepest and most painful regret, is to suffer a curtailment, and indeed perhaps moves toward its total cessation — an outcome over which others would rejoice more than the angels in heaven. With what gladness have we likewise commended to the warm interest of our readers the blessed work of the Evangelical Supreme Church Council in the diaspora, at home and abroad! Only in this year's preface did we discuss, with warm approval, the Council's handling of the case of Pastor Fritze in Ströbeck. However decidedly we have also opposed the Right Reverend Supreme Church Council, wherever, in our conviction, the word applied: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me" — our opposition has nevertheless always been only partial, never systematic, never of the kind that, like that of the Protestant Church Gazette, would be aimed blindly against everything proceeding from this authority which, for us, stands under the fourth commandment. And where we could agree, we did so with joy; where we had to oppose, our heart bears us witness that we did so with deep sorrow, driven by no other motive than the word that burned upon our soul: "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him"