# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1851 10 14_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28

things, which God alone is able to bring about. And to what end would those men have arranged all this, if they had been able to arrange it? To be despised and mocked, hated and persecuted; for that was the lot of the Christian church during the first three centuries.

From this it is now manifest who acts according to the principles of reason and of common sense: we, who say that God, who gave the prophecy of old, and when the time was come, has let the same be fulfilled; or the opponents, who say: It is men who have arranged the events which correspond to the prophecies.

It seems to us that we have now seen sufficiently that one must either bid reason and common sense farewell, or believe that the agreement of the prophecies of the Old Testament with the events related in the New Testament is no accident; further, that it is entirely correct with the prophecies of the Old Testament, and also with the events contained in the New Testament, that is, is as Christendom believes.*)

*) This is what the notorious French freethinker Rousseau had demanded. For he says: "If I were to let the prophecies count as proof, three things would have to come together, which is impossible, namely, I should have had to be a witness of the prophecies; I should have had to be a witness of their fulfillment; and it would have to be proved to me that it is no accident that the fulfillment agrees with the prophecy." The dear reader will find what Rousseau demands in the first requirement, namely certainty that it is correct with the prophecies, in our second part; what he demands in his second requirement, namely certainty that it is correct with the fulfillment, in our third part; and what he demands in his third requirement, in our first part. Thus a prince of the unbelievers must give testimony to the validity of a proof for the truth of the Christian religion, and so for that religion itself, to the comfort of believers and the terror of unbelievers.

Who now are the men of understanding, the Christians or their opponents; and who are the men without understanding?

The unbelievers are those without understanding; and as this has shown itself in the prophecies, so the same can be seen also in other proofs for the truth of the Christian religion.

Of this we shall now make a brief application.

If, then, the opponents of Christianity, in their assertion that the doctrines of the Christian religion are not true, and the Bible, which contains them, not God's Word, act against all reason and common sense; whence comes it that they nevertheless appeal to them? It cannot come from their reason and their understanding, for in these lie, as we have seen, just the grounds for the contrary; if they would ask their reason, or give ear to the rules of common sense, they would believe and speak as Christians. From their heart it comes, then. They are enemies of the light, friends of darkness. For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, and out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts. From this two things follow. First, they reject God's Word; and secondly, they wish to conceal the reason why they do this, and therefore appeal not to the wickedness of their heart, but to their understanding. But their understanding, as has been shown, not only leaves them wretchedly in the lurch, but bears witness against them.

This is a warning word for the opponents of Christianity. They should lay to heart that it is a disgrace to appeal to a witness who must testify against them; they should know that they thereby make their future judgment still worse, for they call precisely a witness not to excuse them, but to accuse them; they should finally consider that in this case it is no trifle to act against reason and common sense. It would be against common sense to patch an old garment with a new piece, and to seek grapes of thorns and figs of thistles; but if anyone acts against common sense in matters that concern this life, then a little temporal scorn and slight temporal loss is the consequence; but if anyone acts against it in spiritual matters, then eternal and unspeakable shame and irreparable loss is his reward.

Would that those, therefore, who have hitherto rejected the Christian religion on the ground that it is contrary to reason to believe its doctrines, would consider how it is precisely the reverse, and give ear to the very reason to which they appeal, against their wicked heart, that they may earnestly incline their ear to the wholesome doctrine and give heed, and the Lord then speak to them, and change their mind and their heart, and make it a vessel of grace, so that it at last says to Christ: My Lord and my God, and comes to this, that it says: Though my understanding and my reason did not bear witness to me, yea, though they said the contrary, yet will I not let go of the Lord and His Word, for, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. That such may come to pass, God help.

But you, beloved, who through God's grace have become believers, let this serve for your comfort, that it is in accordance with reason to accept the truth of the Christian religion, and to hold the Bible to be God's Word. We have no doubt often thought, especially when we had to hear scorn: Though it may be against reason to hold the Bible for God's Word, yet I believe. Now we know that our cause stands by no means so ill; it is the reverse; reason is for us, and against the scoffers. Let this also be a comfort to you in temptation; for even should many doubts come upon you, then remember that it would be against all reason not to believe, that thus the doubts are wholly without ground and only delusions of the enemy of our souls, whereby he wishes to ensnare us. But this shall never succeed for him.

To this end may the Lord also today lay His blessing upon His Word, and strengthen and preserve His children in the faith unto the end; and also awaken to faith those who do not yet call Him Father, that they may obtain salvation with the others, and great may be the host and loud the sound of those who sing Hallelujah to Him and to the Lamb forever. Amen.

M. Johann Matthesii Ökonomia oder Bericht vom christlichen Hauswesen.
(befindlich im Anhang seiner Catechismus-Predigten.)

He who would pass his life with joy and rest
In the state of matrimony,
That the cross in this earth
May be the lighter to him in housekeeping:
Let him woo a pious, God-fearing child,
That is of honest parents,
And above all things let him beware
That he woo not too near of kin.
When he has first prayed to God,
Then let him follow his parents' counsel;
When he is now fairly of age,
Has learned something and gained experience,
Let him not bathe beforehand in all puddles,
And drink from every muddy pool.
From parents one inherits money and goods,
A pious wife God bestows;
From the man's rib she came,
Is adorned with virtue, discipline and honor:
To her husband's heart she clings,
For him she yearns and longs;
As a helper she is given to him,
For comfort and joy in his life;
When cross and misfortune befall,
Her friendly heart shall comfort him.
She is the man's medicine,
That he fall not into knavery.
She bears children in all discipline,
The world is increased by the fruit of her body.
For the man she builds his house,
Preserves and spreads abroad his name,
Increases and gladdens his whole kindred,
In the house she orders all things aright.
To a fruitful vine she is like,
Gives shade, is rich in fruits.
She is like a precious stone,
And like a little pearl round and pure.
In the house the servants take their direction from her,
Without her one cannot keep house.
Around the house she is a strong fence,
Her husband may boldly trust her.
In her heart are many virtues,
Like a well-locked shrine.
She is the best prescription for the man,
The like of which no doctor can write.
How lovely, dear and fine
Is the bed where two come together,
Who in discipline and honor
In true love turn to each other,
And one joins itself to the other,
Such a life pleases our God.
Married folk understand this alone,