# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 05 29_S159
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

"Trinity Church" of this congregation was laid. The contributions received, as well as those further held out in prospect, encouraged the dear members to do their utmost themselves, so as soon as possible to again be able to hold the beautiful services of the LORD in a building of their own. It was with great joy and heartfelt thanks — that the great Archshepherd had thus far so faithfully taken us up, and that, it was hoped, a state of need very hard in many respects would now soon be removed — that the celebration of the cornerstone-laying took place, at which the neighboring Pastors Klein, Brauer, and Hoffmann were also present. After the hymn "I Have Now Found the Foundation," etc., had been sung, Pastor Klein preached, on Zech. 3:9–10, on the LORD Christ as the true, only cornerstone of His holy Church, and exhorted [the hearers] to remain upon this foundation as He gives Himself in His Word, proclaimed purely and clearly alone in our dear Evangelical-Lutheran Church. After the congregation had further sung the hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," the undersigned pastor of the congregation laid into the cornerstone: 1. Dr. Luther's Small Catechism, 2. the Augsburg Confession, 3. the constitution of the congregation, and 4. the historical account of the founding and continued existence of the congregation — which had previously been publicly read aloud. Then the actual act of the cornerstone-laying took place, followed by a fitting, grand choral hymn. Prayer, benediction, and a three-part choral hymn performed by the dear schoolchildren closed the celebration, which will long remain in blessed remembrance with many.

The preliminary work on the building has, thank God, already progressed so far that in a few weeks it will be sufficiently completed to allow services to be held in it, at the utmost need, during the summer — which is all the more gratifying since our previous quarters in the courthouse often could scarcely hold the congregation, and would surely have become ever more insufficient with immigration now soon beginning again. How and when the building will be completed we indeed cannot say, but the LORD knows, and may He also in the future open to us the hearts and hands of many a dear brother in the faith, in order then to bless them themselves so much the more richly!

Aug. Selle, Pastor.

*

How Can a Man Overcome Death?

The monks have written much about preparation for death, but it has all come down to this: that one should forsake the world, that is, go into a wilderness or a monastery and there engage in — I know not what — contemplations. But these are nothing but empty trifles. For the true preparation for death is this: the exercise of faith, whereby one knows that death, sin, hell, and Satan have been overcome and cast down through Christ, the Crucified One. That is, that we look upon death not as it is in and of itself, or as it appears to us, but as it is in Christ. This beholding of the bronze serpent will preserve us. Num. 21:9; John 3:14. And there can be no other hope or way whatsoever of becoming blessed than to look upon Christ, the Conqueror, in whom death has been trodden down, sin overcome, and Satan laid low. On His cross hang the trophies of victory over our conquered enemies and tyrants. Thus the heart can look upon death with confidence, and it is not frightened by the specter. Otherwise, to regard death apart from Christ, and to contend with it, is as it were to swim in the middle of the sea. Rather climb into the ship and remain upon the mast, on which the trophies of victory are hung. And look neither upon yourself nor upon your own merits, or you will drown; but go out from yourself and go to Christ, who is the Lamb of God and the sacrifice for our sins, who has taken upon Himself the sins of us all and overcome them in His body, in whom the devil and death are crucified. This is the true and only way to despise death. For whoever comforts the dying only with the thought that death puts an end to all the tribulations and dangers of this life — that comfort is not strong and cannot lift up the heart in the struggle, for it seems to them that there remain still greater evils after death.

(Luther on Isa. 38:10. Opp. Hal. VI, 736.)

The Shameful Bondage.

I know someone who has lived intimately with you for many years, who has eaten from your table, received food from your hand, slept upon your bosom, and spoken with you as often as he wished; by right he is your servant. But because you have kept him so tenderly from his youth and spared him the rod, he has become rebellious and has grown beyond your control, has made you the servant and himself the cruel master. But, you will say, whom do I mean? — I mean your old man, who tramples your spirit underfoot, finds pleasure only in earthly things, and asks nothing after heaven. This man has been blind, deaf, and dumb from his youth, grown gray in wickedness, resisting virtue and truth, an enemy of the cross of Christ. He laughs at innocence and simple conduct, fears no one, exalts himself proudly, says in his heart: There is no God! He feeds on impure thoughts, squanders his possessions like a spendthrift, seizes trade to himself like a miser. He is wholly born and grown up in sins, a friend of unrighteousness, a child of death, a vessel of destruction. What now do you think of this? Were you wise, you would say with me: He is guilty of death — to the cross with him! — Meditationes, ch. 17.

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, — then let him who is in the land of Judea flee to the mountains." Matt. 24:15–16.

Chrysostom makes the following beautiful application of these words, one in keeping with the faith:

"When you shall see a godless sect, which is a fighting force of the Antichrist, in the holy place of the Church, then let him who is in Judea flee to the mountains — that is, let him who is in Christendom turn to Holy Scripture; for the true Judea is Christendom, and the mountains are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. Knowing well that in the last days there would be so great a confusion, the LORD therefore commands the Christians who are in Christendom and who wish to attain firmness of faith, that they should take refuge in nothing other than Scripture. Otherwise, if they looked to anything else, they would take offense and be lost, for they would not recognize which is the true Church, and would thereby fall into the abomination of desolation, which stands in the holy place of the Church."

(Chrysostom, on Matthew, ch. 24.)

Who Are the Antichrist's Cousins? The Old Lutherans, Who Retain Many an Innocent Ceremony from the Roman Church, or the New Lutherans, Who Forbid These?

"Note well which are the Antichrist's cousins, we or Dr. Karlstadt. We do as the Papists do (in some ceremonies), without, however, tolerating their doctrine, command, and compulsion; we also hate as the Karlstadtians do, but we do not tolerate the prohibition. So then the Pope and Dr. Karlstadt are true cousins in their teaching; for they both teach — the one the doing, the other the not-doing. But we teach neither, and do both."

Luther, in the little book Against the Heavenly Prophets, on Images, etc.

The Doctrine of the Christian Faith Is No Philosophy.

"And Jesus answered and said unto him: Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 16:17. Here stands the pronouncement that the doctrine of faith is no philosophy nor wisdom of human reason, by which it can neither be discovered, nor likewise retained nor judged; but it is a heavenly doctrine, which has been revealed by God the Father Himself. But just as a light at night, or a torch in darkness (namely, when the sun is not present), does indeed shine, yet when the sun shines in its full power, the torch neither gives light nor glimmers, but is darkened by the majesty of the sunlight — so faith is an altogether different light, by which the light of reason is darkened and extinguished.

Luther.

A great famine has come upon the earth; we have become like the unreasoning animals, eating husks and not being filled. He who loves money is not filled; he who loves revelry is not filled; he who seeks fame is not filled. O foolish children of Adam, in enjoying the cattle-fodder of this world you do not strengthen the hungry soul, but rather the hunger itself. And that I may make this clear to you by an example, naming one of the things after which vanity strives: human hearts can as little be satisfied by gold as human bodies can be filled by it. Whoever wishes to be filled must hunger after righteousness, must long for that bread of which there is abundance in the Father's house. "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Bernard, De Conversione ad Clericos, ch. 14.

The Divine Glory of Christ.

How beautiful art thou above all the angels, Lord Jesus, begotten from eternity, before the morning star was, thou brightness and image of the Father! But how glorious art thou also to me when thou layest aside this thy splendor! For when thou didst empty thyself, when thou didst hide the rays of thy inexhaustible light, then goodness shone brighter, love gleamed stronger, grace radiated more mightily