# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 09 13_S14
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

14

what, finally, did the part of the congregation of P. Winkler that was lodging the complaint have to do with it, that he refused with all his might to have his case investigated by an impartial witness?

This key, too, therefore does not fit. It is a lawyer's trick that Prof. Winkler, after he himself can do nothing with it, leaves it to the reader to turn it at pleasure. Such keys such a man must have: then he is sure that no one will come upon his tricks. A simple-minded person, who cannot imagine that a pastor and professor would deal in such schemes, thinks, after all, that everything is in order, because a key that does not lock is in the lock, and everyone is invited to unlock boldly and look inside.

One must really marvel at the cunning and impudence. It is only a pity that a talent which might vie with the most hardened sharpers is thus buried! For an American pastor cannot make great leaps, even if he gives himself ever so much to deceiving.

Chamberlains wear a golden key behind, which then does not lock either. It is not meant to lock at all. Perhaps it is a similar case with the two keys of Prof. Winkler. They are probably meant only as a badge of honor, a kind of knight's spur, or golden spur, such as the Pope bestows, an order for services rendered in the struggle against the Missouri Synod. They hang behind, at least, too: for they are the last thing one sees of this glory-crowned warrior in the glorious retreat of Prof. Winkler. But alas, they lack the predicate golden. They are wretched paper scraps, such as children cut all kinds of figures from paper. I should not like to have them hanging on my back; I should fear the street boys.

K. Röbbelen.

Herr Pastor Winkler

has, as the readers know, once written in the "Informarium" that he had heard certain bad reports about our Synod from members of it. When he was thereupon called upon in the "Lutheraner" to name these members, failing which the "public reproach of lying should rest upon him," Herr Winkler answered evasively and did not name his alleged informants. So our Synod called upon him to do so in an official letter. He then did not answer at all, as we have already reported in our paper, p. 165 of the 9th volume. In consequence of the publication of this fact Herr Winkler now writes that when he read it he "could hardly trust his eyes," for he had indeed answered our Synod, and indeed as follows:

"To a Reverend Synod of Missouri etc. I hereby give notice that, in accordance with the summons addressed to me of the 3d of June, the required explanation will be given in one of the following numbers of the Informatorium."

Since, then, such a letter of Herr Winkler's, allegedly of the 6th of June of this year, has not yet been received by our Synod, we must hereby publicly declare that we cannot give credence to Herr Winkler's assurance unless he prove it by the testimony of the post office concerned and of a credible person, who shall state that and how he has read the alleged letter. Our reason lies, we must confess, much as it grieves us, in the well-known proverb: "A liar is not believed, even when he afterwards speaks the truth." Supposing, moreover, that Herr Winkler had really written and sent off that letter, and that it had been lost inexplicably, this would change nothing in our judgment that Herr Winkler is shy of the light. For these are plainly rotten fish when he brings forward the following in his excuse: 1) that he has the habit of "taking up one point after another in order;" 2) that "because of the hitherto only monthly appearance of the Informatorium, many articles have had to wait months before they could be accepted; and 3) that he does not even want to count his "frequently intervening sickness." Everyone sees that only those accustomed to "unconditional obedience in all things" will take such nonsense of a "Reverend Sir" as good coin, for all that was needed on the part of Herr Winkler was the naming of two or three names, which 1) would hardly have attached a disgrace to his otherwise spotless logic; 2) would, we hope, not have taken away from the Informatorium the needed space for some unconditionally necessary other instruction, and 3) would have required only a few lucid moments in his sicknesses, which Herr Winkler has in any case enjoyed, since he could answer that he did not yet want to answer.

(Submitted by A. H.)

Is it true, then, that we Lutherans start strife everywhere we go?

There lived in a certain place two men next to one another, of whom the one could not bear dust, and was diligent at hand to sweep away the dust that had gathered before his house. In so doing it happened that he now and then came near the door of the other, who had the habit of letting the dust lie in peace. Although now the former meant nothing bad by it, the other was nevertheless very much put out and said that if he wanted to sweep, he should do it before his own door; for the flying dust hurt the eyes. Then the first replied: Dear friend, that is not my fault, for I want the nasty dust gone; but yours, that you cannot bear the sweeping.

So it is with a church which, like us Lutherans, holds to pure doctrine, and where it notices the dust of false doctrine, is at once at hand with the broom of testimony to remove it. Then it happens that it flies into people's eyes, whereupon they complain that it bites. For it is much easier to scold the neighbor and his broom than to recognize that it lies in the nature of the dust, namely of the false doctrine to which one clings, to bite when the broom comes. Therefore you, Lutheran Christian, or you, Lutheran congregation, sweep bravely before your door, put away from you all false doctrine, and with it also all false worship, in the church as well as in daily life, but let the pure doctrine of the Word of God shine brightly in the confession of your mouth and in your whole walk and life, and if then your neighbors are angry with you on that account, and scold that you are starting strife, only think: the false doctrine, which you have brought to light by putting it away, bites in their hearts and drives them to quarreling. The more they quarrel, the more zealously sweep you; where the false doctrine first bites, there is also the possibility that it will be recognized, and put away as a biting vermin: perhaps by your sweeping before your door you will bring it about that your neighbor also sweeps before his own. Must I still answer the question: Is it true that we Lutherans start strife everywhere we go? I think you will answer: No, for it is plain, the false believers start strife with us, not we with them.

(Submitted.)

Gleanings for the Lutheraner.

It has been officially established by the royal Consistory in Breslau that in the year 1851 alone 648 Roman Catholic Christians, among them 3 priests, went over to the Evangelical Church in Silesia; further, 466 children of Catholic fathers were baptized by Evangelical clergymen in accordance with their wish; and 1673 mixed marriages were solemnized, because the bridegrooms refused to give the promise demanded by the Roman Catholic clergy to have the children instructed in the Catholic confession. (Pilger aus Sachsen.)

Roman Catholic Missions in Silesia. Last year the Jesuits held their missions in the district of Neisse, Appeln, Breslau, Ratibor and Kosel. There Pater Rieger, among others, in a sermon held at 6 o'clock in the evening in the churchyard at Kostenblut, after he had depicted the punishments of hell, seized the crucifix fastened at the side of the pulpit, held it up, and conducted with it the following conversation: Dearest little Jesus! Allow me a question: Is there then no mercy for the sinner? Answer, in an altered voice: O yes, if he repents and prays 36,000 Paternosters etc. These can also in