# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1852 06 22_S169
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.

"God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall to eternity endure." (Rev. John, Chap. 14, v. 6. 7.)

Published by the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States.

Edited by C. F. W. Walther.

Vol. 8.  St. Louis, Mo., June 22, 1852.  No. 22.

Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks, at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for out-of-town subscribers, who are to pay for it in advance and to bear the postage. — In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 cents.

Only the letters which contain communications for the paper are to be sent to the editor; all others, which contain business matters, orders, cancellations, money, etc., are to be sent hither under the address Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

(Submitted.)

A Friendly Reply to Martinsville near Buffalo.

In Number 2, Volume I, of the so-called Kirchen-Informatorium edited by Pastor J. And. A. Grabau at Buffalo, there is to be found an article: "Declaration of the Lutheran Congregation at Martinsville near Buffalo against Krause," concluded with the names of the church elders and church fathers of this congregation. At the end of the article it says: "This is our, namely the whole congregation's at Martinsville, faithful and true declaration, which has been confirmed in two congregational meetings."

But whoever has opportunity to read Pastor Grabau's Informatorium, and compares his articles with this aforesaid article, will soon perceive that the spirit and style of both agree most intimately; whoever further knows from experience how Pastor Grabau has led this congregation from the very time of its settlement, and has formed it according to his principles, and also, while I was pastor of this congregation, knew how to keep it in a relation of dependence upon him and to work it toward the carrying out of his plans, will recognize that this article bears a quite incorrect title and ought properly to be called: "Declaration of Pastor J. And. A. Grabau against Krause." And that this declaration is solely that of Pastor Grabau, to which the congregation of Martinsville has merely lent its name, is clear from this, that this article is a summary repetition of his libelous piece "against the sectarian preacher Krause," and a short printed version of his oral assertions and denials against me, and of the assertions and bold denials which he set forth in the Informatorium, especially in Nos. 10 to 13 of the same.

Since this is manifest, and my two defensive pamphlets, forced from me, "Priesterherrschaft" and "Das entdeckte Geheimniß der Bosheit," still stand unrefuted, and will stand unrefuted as long as Pastor Grabau continues with his doctrine and practice to prove the truth of my pamphlets, I have left this so-called Martinsville declaration to itself; but I hold it to be my duty to beg the dear people of Martinsville no longer to let themselves be used as false witnesses, because this is a grievous sin against the eighth commandment. And that they may have opportunity to recognize how sinful it is to lend one's name as a cloak for wickedness and to act against one's own conscience, I will recall the following to the minds of these misled Christians.

The article says: "The Martinsville congregation knows that I, Krause, was excommunicated with right, on account of my impenitent persistence in the sin of hypocrisy." That is a great error, dear Christians of Martinsville, and was talked into you by Pastor Grabau and by von Rohr; for precisely because I would not play the hypocrite with these gentlemen, nor revile the witnesses of the truth who rest in God, nor bring you out of the liberty in Christ and ensnare you in the servile yoke of human ordinances, therefore they have excommunicated me.

Of avarice. Every one of you can recognize this assertion as an unconscionable one; for you know that I have been content with my income, have never asked: Who is still in arrears? do not know even to this day; have dunned no one, to this day, although to my astonishment arrears of salary are now sent me by you for the second time, whereby you prove your honesty, since I really had no notion that there were any arrears still. I also begged the church fathers to spare the poor and widows the payment of salary. Like other members of the congregation I gave my contributions to the building of the church, contributed to all collections, and gave as a present a considerable sum out of the traveling money appropriated for me by the Martinsville congregation. No one whose need became known to me has been left by me without a gift. It is really repugnant to me to speak of this, but I must do it, for your sakes, in case you might perhaps recognize that you speak against your conscience and knowledge, and come to repentance.

"Of tyrannical harshness in his administration of his office toward adults and children and especially toward the sick." Here speak the undersigned, who have often said to me: "Mr. Pa-