# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_November 1859_S350
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

350	Church-Historical Current Events.

...twenty synods, of which the General Synod consists, in order to carry out, to the letter, the counsel enjoined in the foregoing resolution; and that, as soon as the older and wiser synods, which are supposed to influence the younger and weaker ones, observe the principles of synodical division recognized by the General Synod; as soon as they practically observe the provisions of the Constitution for the prevention of divisions (Art. III, Sec. 8); and as soon as they shape their own doctrinal basis in conformity with that of the General Synod — then the Melanchthon Synod obligates itself to strike from its doctrinal statements the offensive paragraph concerning certain alleged errors, condemned and rejected in the said statements, whether or not they are actually found in the Augsburg Confession." — Is it not striking that Kurtz and his like-minded associates say exactly the same thing about the confessional state of the General Synod as we do? Their testimony in this respect is an irrefutable confirmation of our own. Now even "native-born Americans" have shown that we, the "immigrants," judged rightly. Thus the dishonesty is put to shame which still wants to pass off the General Synod as a fellowship standing on the Lutheran faith and confession. G. Sch.

II. Abroad.

At Leipzig there are currently 230 students of theology, of whom 59 are foreigners.

Minister von Raumer died on August 6 of this year, aged 54, of dysentery, as the Evangelical Church Gazette reports, which also remarks: "He testified courageously and joyfully for his Lord and Savior on several occasions before the chambers [of parliament]. His household was permeated by a Christian spirit. He suffered severely in his final days; the word of P. Gerhardt, 'Whoever unites himself with him, Satan flees and hates,' etc., was abundantly fulfilled in him. Even on his deathbed he confessed that he set his sole hope on Christ and his righteousness."

The Village Church Gazette. We read the following in the Evangelical Church Gazette of August 13: "In the Evangelical Church Gazette, the Village Church Gazette was, still this very year, described as the most exclusive of the separatist-Lutheran papers. But since, as of January 1 of the current year, the paper has come under my editorship, and thereby likewise passed over into the territorial Church, I ask readers to see in it no longer an enemy, but a friendly brother and warm friend. Kloxin, Synod of Pyritz, July 26, 1859. Hausig, Evangelical Lutheran pastor within the territorial Church."

Conversion of Jews. Missionary preacher Krüger reported, at the annual meeting of the "Society for the Advancement of Christianity among the Jews" in Berlin on June 21, that only 6 Jews had been baptized by the Society in the past year.

Honor of the Office. A Pastor Kirchner remarked very aptly at the recent Berlin pastoral conference, according to a report in the Evangelical Church Gazette: "We certainly cannot wish for a state of affairs such as is found in the Roman Catholic Church, where homage is paid to the clerical robe while the pastor himself is despised." The writer of the report adds: "Very true! When unworthy clergy are treated with a lack of respect, this argues more for than against the respect that is paid to the office itself." — Superintendent Arndt remarked: "The Lutheran Church, with its office and with its altar, is well able to hold its own against the Roman Catholic Church." So it is not their doctrine of justifying faith, but rather their concept of the office — allegedly akin to that of the Roman Church — that is supposedly their most powerful weapon! — As proof of how important it is for a preacher to be possessed of a strong "consciousness of his office," Superintendent Henschke related, at that same conference: "A certain clergyman, in a very difficult case where the congregation had refused to attend church any longer, went to the village mayor. The latter received him with his cap on his head. The preacher asked him whether he would grant that the preacher was of higher rank than the mayor. Answer: Yes. Then, said the preacher, he should first of all take off his cap; and he charged him to have the whole congregation ordered to church for the coming Sunday. It succeeded, and the defiance was thereby broken." The narrator, however, does not wish to recommend this example (cited here as proof) for imitation.