# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 01 03_S75
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

75

Reply of the Lutherans in Prussia

concerning our dispute with the Synod in Buffalo.

(Taken from the "Kirchenblatt," published by P. Ehlers in Liegnitz, of Oct. 1, 1853.)

It will already have come to the ears of many readers that two pastors from the United States of North America have come to Germany on a visit. They are Pastor Grabau of Buffalo, who was formerly a state-church preacher in Erfurt, left the Union church, and, after he had suffered repeatedly on account of his confession, emigrated to America in the year 1839; and Pastor von Rohr, a former Prussian captain, who emigrated with Pastor Grabau, prepared himself in America for the preaching office, and thereafter was ordained to this office and became pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Bergholz. These two pastors have been sent to Europe by the North American Lutheran Synod (that is, church body) of Buffalo, which numbers 16 congregations, 12 pastors and about 7000 souls, in order to lay before the Lutheran churches in Germany first of all, then before those in Denmark and Norway, and, if their time suffices, also before that in Sweden, a distressing dispute in which for years the Synod of Buffalo has been engaged with that of Missouri, and to claim their aid and assistance against wrongs done to them. Their complaint against the Synod of Missouri consists in this, that this church body (it consists of 108 pastors; Professor Walther and Pastor Wyneken, who visited Germany two years ago, belong to it) receives without further ado people who have been excluded from the Synod of Buffalo, and that it sends preachers to these people at their request, and says that they intend to continue this until a doctrinal controversy pending between the two Synods shall be settled. To settle this, the Synod of Missouri has indeed offered the Synod of Buffalo a religious colloquy; but the latter Synod has been unwilling to enter into it unless the Synod of Missouri recall the preachers sent by it. This the Synod of Missouri refuses to do, and for the present is willing to hold a conversation only about the doctrinal controversy that exists. — The two pastors sent by the Synod of Buffalo first visited clergymen in the Kingdom of Hanover. Thereafter they took part in the Pastoral Conference at Leipzig (on the 30th and 31st of Aug. of this year); but on the 14th and 15th of September they were in Breslau, where several of the Lutheran pastors dwelling in the vicinity had assembled in order to confer in a free conference with the brethren from America. Also some members of the Breslau congregation attended the conferences held. — It lies in the nature of the case that it is difficult to render a well-founded judgment between two parties where both parties are not equally represented, and so the aforementioned conference was unable to do so. It was also the concern of the delegates first of all to have some general propositions, which they had laid before the Conference at Leipzig, examined by us as well. Much was said about these propositions also in Breslau; in their generality they were assented to (yet with certain qualifications), but it was also recognized that everything now depends upon whether these propositions are applicable to the cases pending in America between the contending Synods. —— Some prospect of a settlement of the dispute was opened by the circumstance that the delegated brethren allowed themselves to be advised to agree to a colloquy with the Synod of Missouri, even without the latter first recalling the preachers mentioned above, only that these themselves should take no part in the colloquy, and that the proceeding of the Missourians, of which they complain, should be suspended until the colloquy was completed. We add further that the Conference was of the opinion that it would contribute materially to bringing about peace between the contending Synods if the intended colloquy were conducted by men who stand outside the parties; — wherefore the wish was expressed that the LORD might let means and ways be found to send two men, say one from one of the Lutheran state churches of Germany, the other from the Lutheran Church in Prussia, to America for this purpose. —— —— We commend our brethren in America, who have fallen into this ruinous dispute, to the intercession of our readers. But may the LORD hear our prayer and grant peace to the brethren. Amen.

(From the Sächs. Kirchen- und Schulblatt of Oct. 21, 1853.)

To the Reverend Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States — and of Buffalo.

Grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

The love of Christ constraineth us: so writes the holy Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 5, 14. Honored, dear Sirs and Brethren, you who belong to the reverend Synods of Missouri, etc., and Buffalo, we also believe that in all humility we may appropriate this apostolic word to ourselves. The love of Christ constraineth us to this writing to you. We make the fervent petition to the Lord that what we speak may be spoken in His Spirit and in His love, that He by His Spirit would give us every word that we speak. Oh, could we be present with you, that we might change our voice (Gal. 4, 20), and you could see how our heart is filled with deep grief over this, that now a sad dispute, broken out among brethren, children of the same Mother, and appearing in ever greater vehemence, threatens to destroy the joyous growth of our dear Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which we have followed from the beginning with lively sympathy!

It will doubtless have become known also to the reverend Synod of Missouri that two members of the reverend Synod of Buffalo have come over to us and have made to us fuller communications concerning these lamentable dissensions. Also at the conference held at Leipzig on the 31st of August and the 1st of September, in connection with the Mission Festival which preceded it, this matter, so essentially concerning the whole Lutheran Church, was, on the occasion of those two brethren, made the subject of a sympathetic consultation, whereby the undersigned, besides what lay near to their hearts in any case, were also given the special charge of writing to the two reverend Synods and of attempting, as far as given us by the Lord, thus to contribute to the restoration of a right peace pleasing to Him.

So we beseech you, dear brethren, for Jesus' sake, receive our word, spoken in love and as under His holy eyes, kindly, and consider conscientiously what it may show you as His will. He is our witness that we do not presume to be judges over you, that only heartfelt compassion for the distress of the dear Church moves us to speak, we who otherwise would far rather have kept silence. Shall then the unbelievers and half-believers there and here have the triumph of seeing how the members of the Church, which boasts, and with right, of being the true one, tear one another to pieces? — We stand certainly impartial: the members of the reverend Buffalo Synod who have come to us have given us their confidence, but also in the reverend Synod of Missouri we have very dear friends and brethren united with us in the One Lord. So receive us then graciously with open hearts. We have and claim no other right toward you than the command of the Apostle: Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another. 1 Thess. 5, 11.

O reverend, dear brethren, this ruinous, unhappy discord must be healed. Be at peace, says the Apostle, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Cor. 13, 11. But if His children, instead of being at peace, bite and devour one another, let them take heed that they be not consumed one of another. Gal. 5, 15.— And there can be peace also among you. You recognize one another as still standing in the faith, as still belonging to the Lutheran Church, and according to what is known to us of your mutual ecclesiastical standing, we must say that you owe this mutual recognition to one another. With faithful endeavor and earnest prayer on both sides it must be possible to adjust the differences in the revealed truth of the divine Word; and should something yet remain unsolved, then to you applies the word of the Apostle: And if ye be otherwise minded.