# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 06 21_S151
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

151

b. for the attainment of churchly purposes (founding and maintaining churchly institutions for the training of future pastors and teachers, and the like.) For missions there is a separate treasury.

§. 6. Every resident member of the Synod is bound to attend the annual Synodical assembly regularly to the end. Whoever stays away three times in succession without excusing himself, his membership connection with the Synod is thereby terminated. Nevertheless, the same shall be questioned by the District Presidents concerned, during this time, about the reasons for his non-appearance, and shall be punished as may be found proper.

§. 7. If the conditions of membership specified in Chap. II. §§. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. are acted against by the congregations connected with the Synod or by their pastors, then, after previous fruitless admonition, nothing else can follow but exclusion, whereby the excluded person then loses all share in the property of the Synod, the educational institutions, etc. The latter applies also to those who for any reason separate themselves from the Synod.

Chap. VII.

On Alterations of the Constitution.

Alterations in the Constitution and additions to the same can be made if they do not conflict with the provisions made in the second chapter of the present Constitution, and if all the members of the Synod, on commission of their congregations, to whom this has previously been laid before, vote for them.

The declaration for or against the alterations and additions to the Constitution resolved upon by the assembled members of the Synod is to be sent in writing to the President by all voting congregations either before the beginning of the next Synodical assembly, or to be handed to him in the same manner at the beginning of it. Any congregation which remains behind with this declaration is regarded as consenting.

Heb. 13, 8.

JEsus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Changed Addresses.

Revd. Wm. Gerhardt, Stone Church, Northampton Co., Pa.

Revd. J. A. Fritze, Monmouth, P. O. Adams Co., Ia.

☞ Extra copies of this number can be obtained through the Expedition at the usual price.

Hear Christ Alone!

(From Luther's W. H. A. VII, Pag 2145 — 51.)

Christ says: If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. From this let us learn what we ought to learn. It is a high, great temptation in doctrine and faith that one remain with Christ, and teach no higher, and hear nothing else, than what comes and flows from the mouth of the Lord Christ. And even if God himself were to speak with me, yes, all the angels were to speak with me; as Münzer boasted that God spoke with him: yet in this matter, concerning my salvation, I would not hear a word, and would stop my ears with lead; otherwise, in other worldly matters I would indeed gladly believe, but in this matter I would not believe the voice of God, even if it went and sounded with drums and pipes; for I have resolved that I will believe nothing, and hear nothing, but Christ alone; the other I will not hold for God's voice; for God has resolved that he will speak through no man, but through Christ alone. Therefore, as regards doctrine, no angel shall appear to me, neither Gabriel nor Michael, and preach, for they are not God and the Holy Ghost; but there I have God's Word, who has bidden me believe in Christ, and that I shall let myself be baptized. For Christ's blood is shed for me; outward things bring me no salvation. If they told me that a war would come, I would believe that; for if it came, it might come; if not, it would stay away. But as regards doctrine, one must abide with the Man Christ; for God will not make us a new Christ, nor will he speak with anyone unless he have this Man Christ's voice and speech; through Christ he will speak with us.

The fanatics say: "The Holy Ghost has given it to them by inspiration," item: "God himself has told it to them;" but say thou: "The devil has told it to thee, I will not hear it, and will also in this matter, which concerns salvation and eternal life, know of no other God," and say without hesitation: "That is the accursed devil." They say indeed: "The Holy Ghost has told me, thus one should live, this one should do, and so one will be saved." No, say, it is not true, one must be saved through Christ alone, and otherwise through no one. I have God's Word and Baptism; there heaven stands open to me; through Christ God will speak with me; what Christ commanded the Apostles, and the Apostles commanded the Church, that one should accept. Christ has bidden me be baptized, receive the Sacrament, believe the Gospel, and preach. Thus, as regards doctrine, one should look and believe upon no mouth but the mouth of the Man alone, and not listen to the flighty spirits; there is only one Doctor, and he is called Christ.

Secondly, one should not only not believe the teachings of others, but also not one's own thoughts; for everyone will feel that the devil will come with thoughts which thou wilt hold as if they were divine thoughts, as: that those who fall into despair, distress, or devotion should live a contemplative life. But say thou: I do not believe it. Creep down into the Man's Word, and let these thoughts go, even as thou hast let the doctrine go, and say to thy thoughts: Ye are not God, nor the Holy Ghost, nor his Word. If thou hast such thoughts as would drive thee to despair, and it sounds as though our Lord God were frightening thee: then say: Stop, let us go to the judge, and appear before the court, and hear what Christ says. How does he speak with the haughty, or with the sinners and the sick? To these he says, Matt. 11, 28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Afterward, to the proud scribes he says, John 9, 41.: If ye were blind, ye should have no sin. Item John 15, 22.: If ye say, ye have no sin, ye shall die in your sins. Thus he punishes the haughty saints, and says, Luke 14, 11.: Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; item: I am an enemy to the haughty sinners, and hold them for great sinners.

Thus the false doctrine and the thoughts of the devil might turn out, if one were frightened with thoughts of presumption or despair or unbelief; but few people know this art, and when these thoughts occur to one, they come in such a way that all men must say, God himself speaks these thoughts, and that they are not human thoughts or the devil's thoughts, but God's and a good angel's. If a man so concludes, he is gone and lost, for he must despair. Therefore let such a one know that he does not know God; let him turn about, and hear what Christ says, judges and decides with the troubled and terrified, or with the secure and proud. To those who are troubled he says, Matt. 11, 28.: Come, ye that labour, etc. But to the proud he says: Be gone from me, ye proud.

Then I can judge and conclude that the thought was false and the devil's; therefore one must run to the Man, Christ, and with doctrine, faith, heart and thoughts let oneself be bound and hung upon his mouth, and shut the eyes; otherwise thou wilt not escape the snares and nets of the devil. Unless thou do so, when anything from the sermon, from the Word of God, or thy thoughts occurs to thee, that thou say: I will know nothing, unless it be God's Word and Christ's voice; I will go to Christ, see and hear what