# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 10 15_S27
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

27

the answer! What one is supposed to do with such a book, in which such things occur? As to doctrine, however, certain expressions and articles, such as the Trinity, original sin, repentance and conversion, and the like, have been made so suspect to them that they will have nothing at all to do with them, because they smell in them nothing but priestcraft, nonsense, and who knows what all. Is anything else now to be expected than that indifference toward the Church and churchliness, yea open enmity against them, are the fruits which grow upon this soil? — But when one considers that thereby thousands have lost all wholesome knowledge, repentance, faith, prayer, the forgiveness of sins, the peace of God, true Christian walk, comfort in need and death, and eternal salvation — does it not cry to heaven, should not the delusions, as though matters did not stand so badly, at last be torn to pieces, the origin, kind, and extent of the injury be uncovered, and an impulse be given to the seeking of the right remedies? — Of this the next and last section shall treat.

(Sent in.)

The Church Hymn-Books.

(Continuation.)

Dear Andrew!

Since my previous letter, in reference to the "new Lutheran Pennsylvania Hymn-Book," here and there aroused considerable attention and ill-will, I cannot refrain from setting one more seal to the justification of my cause; and indeed, in the first place, I must still remark something concerning the falsification and abridgment of old pure church hymns, as is the case here and there in the Pennsylvania hymn-book. Here I must recall that the common hymn-book published by New York booksellers, which contains in its second appendix almost the whole "new Pennsylvania Hymn-Book," in the admission of several hymns — in contrast to the Pennsylvanian — went to work more honestly, for there is found the hymn of Luther, "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam," complete according to the original in all seven verses; and that is much to be praised, that the editors still had so much respect for the Luther hymn; also there the "Freiheitslied" under the rubric "the Fatherland" is to be found reworked, altered, and "improved," which strongly confirmed me in my previous assertion that the song as it stands in the Pennsylvania hymn-book aims at Washington, for: were it not so, the New York booksellers would not have reworked this song; but it is only a pity that in using the New York common hymn-book, enlarged with a second appendix, one would of necessity be compelled to use spectacles; and besides, the introduction of the said hymn-book into the congregations would still remain mere patchwork. Therefore it is after all the best to put aside altogether the manifold patchwork and to procure such a hymn-book as, for example, the St. Louis hymn-book, of which everyone can convince himself that it is of the genuine old grain and stamp; and if the people would but once begin to examine the hymn-books themselves, and not always simply — even without having examined beforehand — approve the opinions of their pastors, they would without doubt gladly prefer the "purely Lutheran" St. Louis hymn-book to all other hymn-books.

But to proceed. In one of your letters, dear Andrew, which you wrote to your brother Jacob, I see that in your opinion a Lutheran hymn-book must also be decided, particularly in the doctrine of the Sacrament of the Altar, and that in particular the old hymns of the core, such as "Jesus Christus unser Heiland, der von uns den Gottes Zorn wandt:" and "Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet, der uns selber hat gespeiset mit seinem Fleische und mit seinem Blute:" must not be lacking; and I have convinced myself that these same hymns are found even in the Bavarian hymn-book, which after all already belongs to the newer sort. And in the Lutheran St. Louis hymn-book I find on this subject the most excellent and decided communion hymns, such as, among others, that under No. 197. In this hymn even the erroneous Reformed doctrine, as though Christ according to his human nature could not be truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar, but as though he were, according to his human nature, held captive only in heaven in one place, is mightily refuted. Such hymns, however, are altogether lacking in the "new Pennsylvania Hymn-Book," therefore the "new Pennsylvania Hymn-Book" would, in your view, be no genuinely Lutheran one; and in this you are quite right, for if one goes through the communion hymns there, one perceives among them many a subtle alteration, as for example in that hymn of Woltersdorf: "Komm mein Herz in Jesu Leiden:" there it says in the 3rd verse of this hymn, among other things: "Here may body and soul eat him:" there the pure Lutheran doctrine of the Sacrament of the Altar, according to the content of the Formula of Concord, "that one receives Christ's body and blood with the mouth," is decidedly expressed. But in the Pennsylvanian it reads: "may I there unite myself with him:" — a great difference. This alteration seems to have been imitated from the Pennsylvanian liturgy, for there too it says: "Christ will so closely unite himself with you:" but such phrases are not genuinely Lutheran, but fit just as well for Unionists and Reformed. Such apparently small alterations often mean a great deal, as does also the abridging of long hymns, which one likewise sees here and there in the new Pennsylvania hymn-book. Look there for Paul Gerhard's Christmas hymn: "Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen:" This hymn has in the original, as also in the St. Louis hymn-book, 15 verses, but in the Pennsylvanian only 11. There the four chief verses are taken out, which deal so gloriously with the article of justification, in which many a Christian heart has already been refreshed; I will insert only two of these verses here:

"My guilt cannot weigh upon me
For thou hast
My burden
All upon thy back;
No spot is to be found on me,
I am quite
Pure and clear,
From all my sins.

"I am pure for thy sake,
Thou givest enough,
Honor and ornament,
To clothe me therein.
I will shut thee into my heart,
O my glory,
Noble flower,
Let thyself be rightly enjoyed." —

These, together with two other verses, are, as said, wholly omitted in the Pennsylvanian, and why? Does it not seem to be because the said verses contain the doctrine of justification too decidedly? Which would truly be terrible to hear, seeing that the Holy Scripture not without cause sets before us just this article so decidedly, and on the right understanding of this article all our salvation in time and eternity depends. Therefore I think indeed that one should, also in hymn-books, especially in such as bear the name Lutheran on their forehead, offer such glorious hymns and hymn-verses to the people, and not throw them out, and perhaps put in their place hymns which ascribe justification to the works and merits of men, as unfortunately is also the case in the "new Pennsylvania Hymn-Book," which everyone whose eyes are opened can see, no matter whether he be pastor or farmer. See on this the hymn in the Pennsylvania hymn-book, under No. 622. There it says in the 3rd verse:

"Only a heart that loves what's good,
Only a quiet conscience,
Which bears thee witness before God,
Will sweeten thy death for thee."

Who should not see here that the comfort of conscience is directed to the heart that loves the good? Is that Lutheran doctrine of justification? By no means. The Church teaches expressly that the comfort of conscience before God is to stand alone upon the all-sufficient sacrifice of reconciliation, merit and satisfaction of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and not upon our loving the good, or doing the good, as this hymn says; but faith shall hold fast to the Word of grace, firm and sure, and not to the sweet feeling, as John also says, "and if our own heart condemn us:" and as the Church sings: "And though thy heart say plain No, let a Word be surer to thee, and let nothing daunt thee." In the 4th verse, in the hymn just named, the doctrine of works contained in the 3rd verse is confirmed, and it is added: "Then no judgment will affright thee:" Is it not terrible that the poor consciences