# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1852 08 04_S195
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

195

but in order to be able to be truly charitable; and when God blesses our labor and our business, then this also is done not for this reason, that we may have something to lock up under lock and key, but something which we can use to the honor of God and to our neighbor's profit. I do not doubt, dear brethren, that if you consider this, you will also agree with me in this: if you will only overcome yourselves and tear your heart away from what you have earned with sweat, you can help.

And why, finally, should you not be willing to do it? Consider, when the shrewd world has gathered together a capital, it is for the most part not of a mind to let its silver and gold pieces rust in the chest, but it is intent upon lending out the capital as quickly and as safely as possible, in order to bring it into security and to draw from it interest upon interest. Are there not thousands, especially in our new fatherland, who would regard it as something unpardonable if they should have even a small sum lying dead by them for a short time? who, as soon as they have collected a round little sum, already reckon the percentages which it must have brought them in a year, and therefore can hardly bear to keep it by them for a single night? Is that not acting shrewdly? Well, dear brethren, in this point you can learn much from the children of the world. For (as the Lord says): "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." Luke 16:8. My meaning, however, is not that you should put out your money at interest and give the interest to the Church! Oh, by no means, dear ones; for then those who borrow your money from you would have to trade and traffic with it and first earn the money for you, which you wish to give to the Church; then it would not really be you who had made a gift to the Church, but your debtors. No, in Holy Scripture it is written: "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." Prov. 19:17. Behold there the right, godly usury which you are to practice. God, namely, whom no one can really make his debtor, since we are already wholly indebted to God for ourselves, is nevertheless so gracious that when anyone sacrifices his money and goods out of love to his neighbor, He regards Himself as the debtor of such a charitable man, writes every gift in His book as a capital lent to Him, reckons interest upon interest, and will pay out rich interest here and there. How? Is that not a good way to invest one's money well? Is it not a better one than that which the children of the world pursue? For these not only often lose, in spite of all caution, their loaned capital together with all the interest; but in death, when they must now go in want, they have no enjoyment of their lending either. But he who, on the other hand, applies what is his to works of love has a debtor with whom his capital stands more securely than if it were put out on all the mortgages of the world, and who will not only duly repay the capital, but also pay out here in time and there in all eternity such high interest that all the children of the world shall be terrified thereat (Wisd. of Sol., ch. 5), but Christians shall rejoice and exult forever.

Well then, dear brethren, here is an opportunity to lend something to the dear God. Who will now venture, upon the note of hand which God has already issued through Prov. of Sol. 19:17, to become God's creditor? To Him alone, who also alone can turn hearts and make them willing, be the matter committed. May He awaken you all to show yourselves this time also cheerful givers; then He will also not be lacking on His part, and will surely bless your gift, as well upon the institution as upon yourselves, here and there. Amen.

Our dear Synodical Treasurer, Mr. F. W. Barthel of this place, will have the kindness to receive incoming contributions and to acknowledge them publicly.

Who Is a Heretic, and What Is a Sect or Faction?

There are in our day and in this country Lutherans who deal quite liberally with such titles as: faction, sect, schismatic, heretic, etc., so that it would be no wonder if simple people fell into the greatest confusion over the meaning of these things. We therefore let follow here, for the wholesome instruction of some of our readers, a few testimonies concerning the said expressions from writings of renowned theologians of our Church.

J. Gerhard: "That anyone be a heretic (or factionist) properly so called, it is requisite:
1. That he be a person who has been received into the visible Church through the sacrament of Baptism;
2. That he err in faith, whether he himself first introduce the error, or cherish one of the kind accepted from another; although the former seems to be proper to an arch-heretic or head of heretics, the latter however to a heretic;
3. That the error strike directly (directe) at the foundation of the faith;
4. That with the error there be joined a malice and obstinacy, by virtue of which he, even after he has been admonished repeatedly, nevertheless stubbornly defends his error;
5. That he cause divisions and offenses in the Church and rend its unity. (Loc. th. XXVI. §371.)

J. Gerhard: "The Greek words which in our Bible are rendered by the German words: "Rotte, Secte," and Ketzer, come from a Greek word which means "to choose out, to prefer;" for a heresy is a private opinion which one chooses out for himself in preference to the Christian and (truly) catholic faith, cherishes and obstinately defends. But who in particular and in the strict sense are to be called heretics, this requires an exact investigation, whence Augustine writes that it is hard to define who a heretic is. The Pope and the papal canonists lay down that he is a heretic who does not obey all and every decree of the Pope. Thus in the papal realm those are held to be heretics who read the Bible in their mother tongue; who eat meat on Friday, etc. John Aventinus reports that a German bishop, Virgilius by name, a man versed in mathematics, was cited to Rome by Pope Zacharias and condemned as a heretic because he held that there are antipodes (those who stand on the opposite side of the earth). — Some comprehend under the name of heretics all adversaries of the Christian religion and of the heavenly truth, whether they be within or without the Church. But now the heretics are not to be sought outside the Church, but in the visible Church, into which they have been received through the sacrament of initiation. Compare 1 Cor. 11:29, Matt. 13:24, Acts 20:13. Some call by the name of heretic in general him who, after repeated admonition to amendment, nevertheless refuses to obey. But this meaning is too general, because in this way all obstinately refractory persons would be heretics, and all cities and houses would be full of heretics. In morals, properly speaking, there is no heresy, but in doctrine and in confession, wherefore heretics are so described that they cause division and offense contrary to the doctrine. Rom. 16:17. Yet we do not deny that faults in morals, such as ambition, envy, pride, avarice, etc., are for the most part joined with error in heretics. Some regard all schismatics (who cause a division) as heretics, but if one wishes to speak exactly and properly, the heretics are distinguished from the schismatics. But what that difference is between a heretic and a schismatic Augustine explains. "Heretics," says he, "in believing falsely concerning God, violate the faith itself; schismatics, however, forsake brotherly love through unrighteous divisions, although they believe the same that we believe." It cannot, however, be denied that between a schism, (a division) especially when it is already rooted, and a sect there is a great kinship; for although sometimes only a separation arises, it hardly spreads, and comes, so to speak, to strength, without heresy, and hardly will anyone depart from the purity of faith who would not, if he finds adherents, make a separation from the Church, this pillar of the truth. Some declare simply those to be heretics who err in respect of the Christian faith and of the interpretation of Scripture. But not all who in respect of the faith and the Scrip-