# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1852 08 17_S201
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.
"God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall to eternity endure." (Rev. John, ch. 14, v. 6, 7.)
Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States.
Edited by C. F. W. Walther.
Vol. 8.  St. Louis, Mo., August 17, 1852.  No. 26.
Terms: The Lutheraner appears once every two weeks, at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for subscribers at a distance, who are to pay in advance and to bear the postage. — In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 cents.
Only those letters which contain communications for the paper are to be sent to the Editor; all others, containing business matters, orders, cancellations, moneys, etc., are to be sent hither under the address Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

On the Power of the Holy Ministry.

(Against the accusation in the "Informatorium," Vol. 1, No. 17, that we dispute the right doctrine of the holy ministry, as it was already disputed by the Reformed.) *)

*) We had written this essay before we knew that Pastor Grabau had declined our offer to negotiate with him orally. In concern that even this exposition, made in Christian friendliness, might be used by the person named to charge us with a new breach of the peace, we held the essay back. We now give it as we originally composed it.
The Editor.

In the number indicated of his "Informatorium," Mr. P. Grabau communicates an excerpt from a writing of the old Helmstedt theologian Pfafrad, in which the false doctrine of the Reformed concerning the holy ministry is set forth and refuted. In conclusion the former makes the remark: "From all this it is to be seen that the right doctrine of the holy ministry was long ago disputed by the Reformed, just as it is now disputed by those who pay homage to a separatistic doctrine of the spiritual priesthood and separate the Word of God from the ministry." True, contrary to his custom, we are not here named, yet by the manner in which Mr. P. Grabau otherwise speaks of us we are so plainly designated that every reader must surely come to the thought that we are meant hereby.

But since we have never denied what the old faithful Pfafrad teaches concerning the dear holy ministry, but have always believed it with our whole heart and still believe it, to say nothing of having contended against it with so much as a little word, nothing remains for us but to assume that Mr. P. Grabau either has not grasped what the real "status controversiae" (point of controversy) was in this doctrine in the struggle between the Reformed and the Lutherans, or that, filled with ill-will against us as he is, he fancies he reads and hears things from us which never came from our pen, nor from our mouth, nor into our heart.

Between us and Mr. P. Grabau there does indeed exist, and has for years, a dispute also concerning the power of the holy ministry, but not in such a way that the latter has upheld the doctrine of the Lutheran Church, and we on the contrary that of the Reformed, on this subject! The matter stands rather as follows.

Pastor Grabau had written, among other things, in his so-called Pastoral Letter of the year 1840 the following:

"Therefore the Church also has believed from the oldest times that to the right administration of the holy Sacraments, to the granting of absolution, there belongs not only the Word of institution in itself, but also the right divine call and command; and supposing even that the person in office were wicked, yet the words of institution are powerful because of the office, to which the Lord still confesses Himself; for in the office lies the testimony of Christ that He will make real and impart His institution once made (absolution and sacraments) on earth continually through the Word used therewith. Not that Christ has need of the office in order first to lend power to His words of institution, but because Christ, for our greater assurance, is pleased to make use of the office instituted by Him, in order to deal with men on earth by virtue of His Word. Compare the 518th question in the Catechism: "Who administers the holy Lord's Supper?" The called teachers and preachers of the true Church. Text: 1 Cor. 4, 1. The 519th, 520th question: The function of the ministers of the Church consists in consecrating, in distributing the holy Lord's Supper. Text: 1 Cor. 10, 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, etc. Consequently we are convinced that a man arbitrarily set up by the congregation can neither give absolution nor distribute the body and blood of Christ, but that he gives mere bread and wine; for Chri-