# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1852 12 07_S1012
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

12

ter also not "bribed," as Mr. Pst. Grabau wishes to slander us and thereby at the same time the judge. Out of vexation they then actually left us everything and departed.—Much, however, the gentlemen took with them after all, and when we inquired of the authorities whether these people had the right to take anything at all out of the church, we were answered, "No." Therefore we fetched back with the help of the authorities what had been taken away; but not in the dreadful manner that Mr. Pst. Grabau describes. When, to be sure, the Mr. Schoolteacher would not willingly hand over the things to the official person, the latter was in earnest, the little man became frightened over it and delivered them up. We have, by the way, not yet everything. The church book, church seal, and other books the Grabauites still have in their hands. The authorities wished to procure this also for us, but we let it rest there and did not care to go further. Mr. Pst. Grabau now, to be sure, calls us a "church-robbing Rotte, which finds itself in possession of another's property." That we must let happen. We add only that it is in part our own proper property, but in part we have it in possession voluntarily on the part of Mr. Pst. Grabau and his people; for God knows what? has not permitted them to accept the offered half of the value from our side. But if one leaves something to someone voluntarily and the authorities rightfully award him something else, one is on that account no thief if one accepts it. Mr. Pst. Grabau should therefore not slander any further, but think whither his obstinacy has led.

Eden, Erie County, N. Y.,

on the 1st of March, 1851.*)

Jakob Bauer.

Heinrich Michael Bauer.

Heinrich Bauer.

Philipp Dietrich.

Adam Dietrich.

Georg Egel.

Friedrich Egel.

Christian Gallmann.

Christian Heilbronn.

Christian Höhn.

Georg Mühl.

Georg Philippi.

Kaspar Stiefler.

Johannes Sutter.

Daniel Schweickhart.

Georg Schweickhart.

Konrad Troeger.

Daniel Wolter.

*) The reader sees from this date how long the above communication has already been in the hands of the Synod. It always hoped, in holding back with it, to settle the whole matter in a private way and to be able still to come to an agreement with Mr. Past. Grabau. But since the said person has left no room for this, it has at last had to hand the above over to publicity. Ed.

(Submitted.)

Answer

to the challenge of Mr. von Rohr, that the "dear B." might testify against the Missourians.*) —

In the article that recently appeared against Hengstenberg's false union-comfort for Florencourt, the question was also dealt with: what there is in holy water and the Mass, etc. that is commonly Christian with the united church, to which Florencourt might attach himself. To this there answers, in the "Informatorium Nro. 9.," in place of Hengstenberg, Mr. v. Rohr with such depth and pastoral wisdom that Hengstenberg himself could not have done it better: "The solution," he says, "lies in the doctrine of the united church concerning the general Christian church, that the same consists of all Christian denominations which still have baptism and something essential of Word and Sacrament, and that the invisible church is present in all these particular churches of the general Christian church." Is not that clearly answered?! If Florencourt now still does not know what he is to do, it is his own fault, the Buffaloer has done his part. We should not yet have to regard Mr. v. Rohr as wholly recovered from his latest fall from heaven, if we were really to take the above words for an answer to the question, but they are plainly not meant to be that. The matter is rather this, Mr. von Rohr wishes, whether it fits or not, to bring his luminous doctrine of the Church onto parade again, and has thereby the bold thought of drawing with it some out of the Missouri Synod to himself and of making them an appetite for the Buffaloers. But truly, to be expected to find a taste for the Buffaloers' doctrine and love is a strong presumption. I can give Mr. v. Rohr in confidence the assurance that all the Lutheran preachers of the neighboring region are thoroughly at one in the recognition how false and dangerous the doctrine and how rotten the practice flowing from this doctrine of the Buffaloers is. No, dear sirs, if you wish to win us, that we should, to your delight, play a little revolution in the Missouri Synod and prepare for you a little triumph: then set about it more cleverly, the thrice-repeated "dear B." is truly too little and too cheap!—

Shall we give you a counsel that leads to the goal! Leave off the abusing, write more intelligibly, more logically, make use at last of the rules so necessary for you, to which the "Lutheraner" so kindly calls your attention, and above all things be honest. How fine it would be if you, Mr. von Rohr, were to make a beginning with honesty, by confessing quite simply, for example, that in the matter of the unjust ban you had committed some stupidities; that would be a beginning, and a light one besides, since you would need to be very brief in the confession, because you are now without doubt the only one left who has not clearly recognized the stupidity. And if you then further admitted that the so timely sermon of Herr Prof. Walther in Nro. 7 of the "Lutheraner" had given you light in your darkness, wherein you cannot comprehend why a child of God cannot and may not leave the orthodox visible church, or, if he is not yet a member of this visible orthodox church, must and shall seek it, and call this demand "hypocrisy and folly"; if you confessed how you have now received full light on this and felt yourself obliged to the author for hearty thanks. And if you then finally also showed by the deed, that is, by withdrawal from the Buffaloer Synod, that you now no longer wished to believe that the one holy universal Christian church is properly the "Lutheran church emigrated out of Prussia," with the visible J. A. A. Grabau, S. M., at its head, and from now on no longer wished to see the Body of Christ, the communion of saints, but to content yourselves, like other good Christians, with believing it. Yes, if you would do that, if you would go this way, then I believe I may give you the assurance that you will win us, and we will then even give a testimony for you in the Missouri Synod.

*) The dear Brother B. will, we hope, not be angry with us that, since we have no room this time in the "Lutheraner," we place him in the "Sidecar." He is certainly already so Americanized that he can bear this with equanimity. Ed.

B.—