# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 10 29_S37
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37

wherein it reads, among other things, as follows: "All things are yours, whether Luther or Gerhard, or Gellert or Spitta."— From this it may be seen how the editors place "Gellert" in one row with Luther, without any distinction at all. Accordingly it says further on in the said preface: "Thus one will find in this book hymns from the old, yea oldest time, and likewise from more recent and most recent times, yet always recognizing our wish to take nothing good that is old, only to give what is good that is new;" it says further: "Whether the selection has succeeded, it is not for us, but for the Church to judge." The last-named sentence does not displease me altogether, for, as it seems, the editors hereby doubt the correctness of the selection itself, and leave the judgment to the Church. That sounds fairly good, that the Church has the right to judge concerning it; if only it is not to be understood in the "Grabauish" sense, according to whose doctrine of the Church only "the pastors" are those who are to judge concerning doctrine! But I think the meaning is, every member of the Church, and therefore I too have made use of my right to judge.

There would indeed be more hymns of this kind to cite, but I hasten to the close, and will only note a few more hymns which in the Pennsylvania hymnal have lost much of their excellence through abbreviations and alterations. No. 544 contains the hymn: "Nim von uns Herr, du treuer Gott!" This hymn has in the original, as also in the Lutheran St. Louis hymnal, seven stanzas; in the Pennsylvania one two of the most beautiful stanzas are omitted, which I will here insert on account of their excellence. They read: "Sin hath corrupted us sore, the devil plagues us still more, the world, also our flesh and blood, always lead us astray; such misery Thou alone knowest, Lord! Ah, let us be commended unto Thee. Why wilt Thou be so wroth over us poor little worms? Thou knowest well, O great God! that we are nothing but earth and dust; our weakness is not hid from Thy sight." It seems these two stanzas were too old-fashioned for the editors of the Pennsylvania hymnal, or it seemed to them altogether too offensive that mention is made therein of the devil, who plagues the children of men: — as may well be concluded from hymn No. 605. There it reads in old hymnals, as also in the St. Louis hymnal, stanza 3: "Thou wouldst also graciously keep me this day from the devil's craft and rage;" in the Pennsylvania one, in this stanza, instead of the words "devil's craft," the finer-sounding "Satan's craft" have been put in. In the 5th stanza it reads according to the original, as also in the St. Louis hymnal: "Thine angel let also abide, and depart not from me, to drive away Satan, that the wicked foe here in this vale of misery may not practise his malice upon me, nor trouble body and soul, and bring me not to a fall." In the Pennsylvania one it reads in stanza 5: "Let Thine angels abide, and depart not from me, to drive away temptation, which entices me from Thee. Enclose me round about, so nothing will trouble me, so shall I do good, so I shall not come to a fall." Here in the Pennsylvania book, in the 5th stanza cited, the word "Satan" is left out altogether, and changed into the word "temptation." That reminds one right well of the "new Berlin Unierte hymnals," where also the word "devil" is often struck out, and here and there changed into the word "Satan" or "the Evil One;" but especially of the "new Prussian Unierte Church Agenda," where the person being baptized, instead of the words formerly customary at baptism: "Dost thou renounce the devil? "is asked after the new Unierte style: "Dost thou renounce the Evil One? "and, as a learned gentleman once told me, in this new Unierte Prussian Agenda the word "devil" is to be enclosed in parentheses in quite small type.

***

Extract

from the proceedings of the fifth annual session of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Indianopolis.

The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Indianopolis held this its fifth session, in accordance with the resolution made at the last year's assembly, in Cincinnati, O., in the Evang. Luth. Trinity Church, from Thursday the 5th of September to Saturday the 7th of September, 1850.

I. Session,

the 5th of September, forenoon.

The President of the past year opened the Synod with singing, the reading of the 4th chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy, and prayer.

As the Secretary of the Synod was absent, P. Th. Wichmann was appointed Secretary pro tem., who thereupon read the names of the members of the Synod. There were present: Pastors J. F. Isensee, J. J. Meißner, A. Brand, Th. Wichmann, Candidate H. S. Lasar, F. W. John and F. Th. Jungck. Further, Mr. G. Bohrer, deputy of the Evangelical Lutheran Zion's Congregation in Franklin Co., Ind.

As advisory members: P. J. Schulze, member of the Ohio Synod, Mr. Cyriak. Meyer, preacher in Madison, Mr. Dieckmann, deputy of the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Congregation in Cincinnati. Attending as visitors were: Teacher Breitfeld, Mr. Cand. Polack. Absent were: Pastors Dr. O. Hunger, F. W. Wier, Chr. Buße, A. H. Lücken, J. F. Hartmann, Ed. Leemhuis, M. During.

Thereupon the President read his report.

As officers for the current year 1850-51 there were elected by majority vote: President: P. Dr. O. Hunger, Secretary: P. Th. Wichmann, Treasurer: P. J. F. Isensee.

Since P. Dr. Hunger was absent, and consequently could not take his seat, but it appeared from a letter addressed to the Synod that he would perhaps arrive somewhat later, it was resolved that P. J. F. Isensee preside until then, who also took his place after he had declared that he withdrew the essay written by him in the Lutheraner No. 17, 1850, entitled: For the Lutheraner, in reply to Pastor Kuntze's communication, after it had been discussed at length.

Thereupon the following committees were appointed by the President: No. 1 Report of the President and letter of the Lutheran Zion's congregation on Blue Creek concerning P. W. Wier and his former church council: P. Meißner, P. Brand and Bohrer. No. 2. Papers of various contents: P. Schultze, H. L. Lasar. No. 3 Synodical proceedings: J. W. John and C. Mayer. No. 4 Last year's proceedings: S. Lasar, H. Dieckmann.

Session closed with prayer by P. Brand.

II. Session,

the 5th of September, afternoon.

Opened with singing and prayer by the Secretary.

Committee No. 1 reports: 1 and 2 Concerning P. W. Wier and his former church board.

Several complaints have been brought against P. Wier and his former church council of the Lutheran Zion's congregation on Blue Creek by a former member of this congregation. But the Committee perceives from a letter in its hands, signed by the members of that congregation, that the complaints of the plaintiff Hoffmann are by no means valid enough to substantiate an accusation against P. Wier and the church board of the Zion's congregation. Since the accuser Hoffmann, upon the summons of the President to appear at the synodical session, has not presented himself, the Committee moves that, according to the letter of the congregation, which was moreover confirmed by the deputy present, P. Wier and his former church board be acquitted of the accusation made.

The foregoing report was adopted.

On 2 P. Wier and the church board of the Ev. Luth. Zion's congregation on Blue Creek are acquitted.

The report of the President is adopted.

Session closed with prayer by P. Meißner.

III. Session,

the 6th of September, forenoon.

Opened with prayer by Cand. Lasar.

Committee No. 4 reports: As appears from the proceedings of last year's session, the motion then made: "No preacher of our Synod shall organize and accept a united or so-called Evangelical congregation, nor shall any preacher who serves such be received into our Synod"** has been somewhat altered. The Committee recommends this matter to the Synod for special consideration. Also 2, the mission cause is recommended to the Synod for consideration.

The foregoing report was adopted.

On 1. After last year's resolution had once more been duly weighed, the Synod acknowledged that last year's resolution, with regard to mixed congregations, could very easily be evaded, and resolved: that it will henceforth permit none of its preachers to organize mixed or so-called Evangelical congregations, nor to accept already existing united congregations as such, since it abhors all mixing of faiths.

Mixed congregations are such as are composed of Lutherans and Reformed and not seldom by ma-