# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 01 04_S72
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

72

to pelt us with. Nor is that agreeable, and an old proverb says in warning: "He that toucheth pitch defileth himself." Yet should we on that account be afraid to speak the truth plainly? There are simply certain cases in which one must touch pitch. At the same time one must not forget that pitch remains pitch always and therefore can only defile. We are accustomed to nothing else from Grabau and are fully prepared for it. He must indeed do as his nature and disposition drive him.

It would be very surprising if the man in question, so greedy for dominion, who hitherto, in spite of all the gentleness of treatment on the part of the Missourian Synod, has always shown only his teeth and sharp bite, should now suddenly put on sheep's clothing toward us and receive this unvarnished truth with a lamb's patience. That would be remarkable, yet not impossible; for the man understands such arts; there is evidence for it. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." (Jer. 13, 23.) We therefore expect nothing else, and consequently cannot be deeply affected by revilings and distortions. From the devil we expect no friendly compliments, and if he wished to pay us any, we should have to flee from them as from the plague. But Grabau shall know that we have now testified what in our conscience we were bound to testify, and that we shall answer him nothing. Let him revile and curse until he is weary. Also we will no longer read his shameful paper; for we have had enough of his venom.

Quite worthy of a Grabau, Mr. Winkler in Detroit stands at his side. He asserted in No. 8 of the "Informatorium:" "Missourian pastors have confessed to me frankly and openly that for years it has been regarded in their Synod as a settled matter that the Buffalo Synod must be destroyed, cost what it may; yes, that they have believed they were doing God a service if they annihilated it; but I should also like to be convinced that there are still many honest pastors among them, particularly younger ones, who wished to do right, and were drawn into the affair only by Walther, so that they themselves did not know how." — By chance there is among the writers of this very statement a younger pastor of the Missourian Synod who wishes to do right, and it especially pleases him now to be among these witnesses. The same, in company with the others, asks Mr. Winkler who those pastors are who have said such things. Here no consideration can bind Winkler, except perhaps this, that he knows no such persons and, like many another thing, has invented the matter himself. Until then, among other things, the public charge of lying shall rest upon him, until he has named the persons in question.

Now in conclusion, a brotherly word to the honored members of our Synod. In the last number of the Informatorium we read that this paper, for lack of readers and other causes, can appear only once a month. If one can rejoice at all that evil in the world is decreasing, it is so here. Now it is surely every Christian's sacred duty not to support evil in the world, but, so far as lies in his power, to diminish it. Therefore we cannot do otherwise than make it a matter of conscience to the reverend brethren who are not directly involved in the controversy with Grabau no longer to take the paper. We cannot imagine what value the paper could have for the reverend brethren. It certainly gives no pleasure, so it also affords no entertainment. Edification one does not find in it, quite apart from the fact that for the purpose of edification quite other aids are at hand. Instruction, in spite of the name "Informatorium," is not in it; for the Informatorium itself always needs instruction and accepts none. Conviction, finally, is again not to be gathered from it, except a negative one in the manner described above, which makes one sad and downcast. He who is not yet thoroughly convinced will hardly become so now. For what, then, is the paper? Could not the leisure hour necessary for it be used far better? Could not the dollar of payment be devoted to a churchly or otherwise charitable purpose? Hitherto it is solely the attention which Grabau has received from the Missourian Synod that has driven the favorable wind into his high-flown, crafty sails. If this impulse slackens, his sails must go slack. There are certain spirits who are beaten by nothing so much as by deserved contempt. By this it is not meant that the struggle hitherto carried on was not necessary for the sake of the truth and of Grabau himself. But now the matter has gone so far that a different method of procedure must be adopted toward Grabau. For after the truth in question has been sufficiently and clearly set forth and proved, after Grabau has also escaped our last attempt at understanding and reconciliation, in that he serpent-cunningly evaded the colloquy proposed to him, probably from fear of the power of the truth and of the inevitable but salutary humiliation: what is one still to do? Engage in refuting his continued personal accusations, revilings, and distortions? That would be to waste one's time and to cast away the dignity of the truth. If we cannot serve Grabau for good, even with the best will, neither will we nor ought we to serve him for evil. — Grabau forbids his people to read the "Lutheraner." Why? Because he fears the power of the truth and of conviction. Have we not a lawful, Christian reason to let his paper go? If the same, together with its writers, were regenerated, renovated, and reformed, we should gladly read it again, and would gladly support it too. But the hopeful prospect of this has now sunk to the minimum, and we believe that such a course is the best medicine for Grabau's sickness, whose cure, if it is still possible at all, we must nevertheless always wish.

Presenting this to the reverend brethren with the request that they weigh it before God and conscience, we subscribe ourselves

Ernst M. Bürger.
A. Ernst.
K. Diehlmann.

Briefkasten.

C. F. G. in M. owes $1.36. — A new edition of the Melodien-Büchlein according to Layritz will not be ready for some weeks yet.

☞ The receipts that have been sent in cannot, for lack of space, be taken up until the next number.

Received

a. for the Synodal Treasury:
Vacat.
b. for the Synodal Mission Treasury:
from the congregation of Pastor Bürger near Buffalo, N. Y. $5.00
" Mr. A. Milke 50
" " H. Schwantes 25
" an anonymous giver 25
" Mr. Pastor Hattstädt, sent in: 5.00
namely: $1.00 from school children; $2.00 from Mr. Angerer; $2.00 from Mr. G. Beck.
c. for the support of Concordia College:
from Mr. Albrecht Ilgen in East Saginaw, Mich. $3.00
For the setting up of a cabinet of natural history and the procuring of a physical and chemical appar[illegible]:
" Mr. Pastor Nordmann 1.00
" " G. Willner 9.91
" " W. Haunschild 2.00
d. for poor students:
from the Young Men's Society of the St. Trinity Congregation in Fairfield Co., O., sent in through Mr. Pastor Richmann: 10.00
" the Young Men's Society at Monroe, Mich., through Mr. Pastor Hattstädt 6.00
" Mr. Christ. Herrling in 5 bushels of potatoes 2.25
Besides this
" " Samuel Kämpfe 2 bushels of oats for horse feed have been given to the amount of 80
e. for the support of the local College building:
from Mr. Pastor Seidel in Marysville, Union Co., O., and his St. John's Congregation, 2nd remittance 19.00
namely: i. $1.00; k. 2.00; l. 25; m. 1.50; n. 1.00; o. 1.00; p. 1.00; q. 75; r. 50; s. 1.00; t. 30; u. 1.50; v. 2.50; w. 50; x. 1.00; y. 1.00; z. 1.00; aa. 50; bb. 50 (afterwards 20)
" three members of congregations in St. Louis 5.50
" the congregation of Mr. Pastor Ernst in Eden near Buffalo, N. Y. 18.00
namely: D. Schweickhardt $4.00; Fr. Egel 5.00; A. Ehrmann 1.00; J. Sutter 1.00; L. Bauer 2.00; Fr. Bauer 1.00; Christian Gallmann, Sr., 2.00; H. Bauer 2.00.
" Mr. Pastor Nordmann 2.50
" the same, collected in his congregation in Washington City 9.[illegible]9
" the following members of the St. Trinity and St. Jacob's Congregation in Fairfield Co., O., sent in through Mr. Pastor Richmann: 27.07
namely: John P. Knöller $5.00; Friedr. Kircher 2.00; Christ. Spannagel 1.00; Mich. Walther 1.00; John Walker 1.00; Theodor Müller 1.00; John Beery 1.00; Christ. Faßler 1.00; Jacob Bauer 1.00; an anonymous giver 2.00; Julius Koch, Jacob Ulmer, Georg Weidner, Friedrich Weidner, Gottfried Kircher, John Kircher, Fried. Kull, Gottlob Klenk, Jacob Ellinger, Joh. G. Ruff, Matth. Maile, Mich. Weber, Andr. Weber, Johannes Ruff, Jr., at 50; Gottfried Sporleder 45; Fried. Kasting 37½; Ad. Kroner 35; John Baumann, Jr., 30; L. Baumann, G. Handstein, Sr., Martin Ruff, Ad. Daubemeyer, Georg Streng, M. Wacker, Christ. Schmidt, the widow Klumpf, Fried. Bickel at 25; Mich. Kornmüller 20; G. Handstein, Jr., 15.

F. W. Barthel, Treasurer.

Paid

for the 8th volume, the Reverend Pastors J. W. Schmidt, Seidel, Weyel.
for the first half of the 9th volume, Marie Dörfler, Jacob Köpf.
for the 9th volume, the Reverend Messrs. Paul Beyer, Eggers, Faßler, Pastor Geyer, Pastor Holm, Albr. Ilgen, Philipp Knöller, Ludwig Kircher, Julius Koch, John Keck, Christoph Leibing (2 copies). Pastor J. W. Schmidt, Pastor Seidel, Christ. Spannagel, Andreas Zagel.
" for the 10th volume, Mr. Pastor Geyer.