# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 04 12_S107
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

107

gen details. These are especially two. First, the assumption that the Holy Supper, as celebrated by the LORD and the apostles in the night in which He was betrayed, was not what it has been since His actually accomplished death on the cross, namely a dispensing and receiving of the body and blood of Christ, but only a prefiguration (normal type) of how it was afterward to be celebrated. For against this the Christian feeling revolts, which has its perfect right, inasmuch as it is grounded upon a multitude of truths from which a Christian cannot and will not let go. Furthermore, the reason which the author adduces for his opinion, namely that the apostles at that time were not yet qualified to receive the Holy Supper, is void, since they certainly found themselves in a state of repentance and faith (even though the manner in which Christ would redeem them was not yet clear to them), and also did not doubt the truth of the words "this is my body, etc." Then the passages of Scripture to which the author appeals in confirmation of his view prove nothing; for in 2 Mos. 12, 27 and 13, 14 and 15 it is not, say, narrated that the Passover lamb and described how it was eaten, but determined what the Jews in the future should say thereby, after it had previously been stated what they should do thereby; whereas in our case it is narrated that the Holy Supper and described how it was held. And as regards the other passage, John 29, 22, the honored author has surely been hasty when he says that the apostles did not receive the Holy Ghost even then, but only at Pentecost. For the Holy Ghost they must have had already at that time; how else could they have called Jesus Lord, and followed Him? The Spirit in the measure and to the end in which and for which they received Him at the feast of Pentecost, they certainly did not have before, and did not receive Him so in John 20, 22 either; but of that the LORD does not speak there, but rather of that Spirit whom He, without doubt, there actually gave them also, and by virtue of whom they were empowered to retain and to remit sins. Finally, if the Holy Supper had not been at that time what it has been ever since, then the words of institution also would not at that time have had the sense which they have had ever since, a consequence which seems to have escaped the author, otherwise so acute, and which he would on no account admit.*) The other point in which we cannot agree with him is this, that he will not allow the discourse of the LORD in John 6 concerning the eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood to be figurative. That, as he says, that discourse has reference to the later institution of the Holy Supper, no unprejudiced person will deny. But this does not prove that it is to be taken in the proper sense, since in the Holy Supper a twofold eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ takes place, namely a spiritual and a sacramental, and it is natural that the spiritual, as the more important — it is unconditionally necessary to salvation and the condition under which the sacramental first becomes fraught with blessing — should be set forth first, and in such a form as aims at the sacramental, through which the spiritual takes place in the highest degree. In a figurative sense, however, the discourse must be taken especially on account of verses 53 and 54. In v. 53 the eating of the body and drinking of the blood of Christ is made a condition of salvation; but the only condition is faith; according to Mark 16, 16 and 54, salvation is unconditionally promised to the eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ, which does not hold of the sacramental partaking according to 1 Cor. 11, 29; consequently both passages, and therefore the discourse closely connected with them, can only be taken of the spiritual eating and in a figurative sense.

*) Incidentally Dr. Schmidt says in the course of his work that he feels strongly drawn to the other (correct) view of the first Holy Supper.

Moreover, we can only wish that the honored author may further devote his knowledge and gifts to the defense of the pure doctrine among the English-speaking public, and may give the same an opportunity to look into the glorious treasures of the Lutheran church of Germany.

B.

For and about Missions.

"Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence." — So the apostle testifies before the congregation at Corinth (Epistle 1, Chap. 1, 26-29), and so we find it to this day everywhere in Christendom, because spiritual poverty is precisely a chief condition for entrance into the kingdom of God, and because worldly riches and greatness are a mighty hindrance to spiritual poverty. Such a weak, foolish and ignoble little flock in the eyes of the world were also the faithful Lutheran fellow-believers in Prussia, who would not consent to the sinful coupling of truth with falsehood, of faith with unbelief, of light with darkness, of Christ with Belial, in a union made by men, but chose far rather hardship, and the reproach and persecution of the world. And this has fallen to their lot in rich measure; for the world is very zealous and very liberal when it is a matter of oppressing the members of Christ and heaping reproach and persecution upon them. Thus our dear fellow-believers lost not only their beautiful churches with the funds for pastors, etc., but they also had to endure fines being laid upon them, and even distraints and imprisonments. Under all the pressure, however, the number of the faithful grew ever more; for precisely the bright flame of the fire of persecution shone so brightly into the eyes of many sluggish sleepers that they started up, renounced the sluggish repose of the Union, and gladly increased the number of the despised little flock. Thus the congregations grew in number as in joyfulness in the LORD, but not in the goods of this world. And since they were scattered hither and thither, members from 30-40 and more localities, often days' journeys distant from one another, had to join together in order to obtain a pastor and to defray the costs of a place of assembly. And yet they were still almost crushed by the burden of the expenses. Thus the parish district of Stettin in the year 1848 comprised 11 preaching places, to which members from 80 localities had to gather, who all together could scarcely raise the necessary salary for the preacher. The congregation in Breslau had an annual expense to meet which amounted to 2 thalers for every head. The expenses of the congregation at Berlin amounted even to 3 thalers a head, and the congregation at Thorn had to contribute still more. Whoever knows the conditions of Germany at all, and knows how hard it is there for handworkers and day laborers merely to earn the barest necessaries, will know that, with the many governmental taxes, these church requirements could scarcely be raised. And so it was, and is yet in part. The preachers, content with little, wore themselves out by much traveling about, etc., while the congregations, scattered in so many places, pined for the so distant pastoral care. In this distress the General Synod of 1848, in a "cry of distress," turned to the German brethren in the faith for help, and has received for it in 4 years the sum of 7192 thalers in charitable gifts. In the same time, however, these poor, oppressed congregations, so needy of outside help, offered the sum of 4734 thalers for the evang. Luth. mission among the heathen. — "These facts teach us," says the reporter, "that even those who are in truth in need of support can still, by God's grace, give, if only the love is there. — . . For the LORD wishes only to prove our faith and our love when He bids us give. He does not wish that we should starve, if we are obedient to His voice." —

These facts teach us also something, my dear reader! May we take it rightly to heart.

These facts teach us above all