# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 01 31_S95
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

95

cal and musical respects. Thereupon the President, Harleß, took the floor and also delivered a long speech, of which I must nevertheless communicate some things verbatim to the reader. "A point was brought forward by the Reporter," he said, "which circulates among the people, as also among representatives of our Church, as an apprehension; and this is precisely an apprehension which relates also to myself. The draft, my honored gentlemen, came into being under my eyes, and though for the most part through the services of another, yet also with my counsel. But what circulates as an apprehension no one has indeed said to my face, yet it was whispered, like the barber of King Midas, who could not keep silent what he was not to tell. He whispered it into a hole, which he covered with earth; but reeds grew up there, which whispered the secret out into all the world. So, in a similar way, there came to my ears from all sides, with reference to the order of divine service, the anxious rumor: "He (that is, I) wishes to make the congregations Catholic."

As for me, I had to laugh at it; but I had to pity those who believed such foolishness either from ignorance or invented it out of friendship for me. I had to ask myself whether it had been supposed that when I left Bavaria eight years ago, this happened on account of crypto-Catholic inclinations or sympathies?*) I also could not explain how this mood should somehow have come upon me in Saxony. But I do not know — perhaps I was somewhat spoiled in Saxony after all! In Bavaria they judge the Saxon territorial church sharply and wish to describe our conditions as much better. That I do not investigate. But I was amazed when I came into the country, got to know the conditions, and saw in the divine services of the congregations, from one end of the land to the other, an order spread abroad which is uncommonly dear to the people and from which they will not part at any price. This is, though really only in fragment, the same as what is laid before you as the altar service.

*) It is well known that Dr. Harleß had to leave Bavaria earlier precisely on this account, because here they would not tolerate his vigorous resistance to the oppressions of conscience of the Protestants by the Catholics. It is remarkable that it goes with the so-called Old Lutherans in Germany, who most decidedly oppose themselves to Popery, just as with those here. They in particular are said to be making people Catholic! And why? Because they sing before the altar, burn candles at the holy Communion, have a crucifix on the altar, bless with the sign of the cross, and the like! The Editors of the Lutheraner.

"Throughout the whole land one and the same manner prevails, according to which the minister and the congregation sing at the liturgical celebration, and that is a joy to the congregation. When I came there, I indeed had not myself to administer the diaconal duties, but yet came sometimes into the necessity of doing so. Then I asked for the notes; they had none. From generation to generation the congregation and the minister sing so. So it is in town and village congregations. Then I thought back with great pain on what we formerly had in Bavaria, what was thrown overboard, and what is being restored in the draft, but fills many with anxiety whether this task can be accomplished and solved. So much of myself, and perhaps already too much."

After he had then set forth the difficulties and scruples in the working out of this order of divine service, he closed: "Do not believe, my honored gentlemen and dear brethren, that the Church government or I would so much as remotely think of proceeding with clumsy force in so holy a matter, and thereby spoil for the people from the very start what is to become dear to them. The question of "definitive" introduction meant nothing else than to ask whether the honorable General Synod advises and is of the opinion that what the Church government has issued on trial be also declared definitively to be that which is to hold as the type of the goal valid in the territorial church, whose gradual introduction into the congregations is to be striven for. One must have such a definite goal, and its introduction must take place in a regulated, path-opening manner. What could now be done, my dear gentlemen and brethren, your honorable committee has done to remove all difficulties in the matter. Therefore I close with the promise that, however the result of your deliberation may turn out, I will in no way set myself against the motions of the committee with regard to the manner of introducing the order of divine service."

Thereupon Church Councillor Bomhard of Augsburg rose, to recommend on his part also the new order of divine service, and closed his speech with the words: "Honored gentlemen! Yesterday we gave, with joyful acclamation and with hearty praise of God, our unanimous assent to a hymnal which brings back to us the old glorious church hymns of that old time in which the order of divine service laid before us served our pious forefathers everywhere to great edification. An important step toward the Reformation, that is, the restoration of our worship to its original noble form, has hereby been taken by us; we have hereby expressed the recognition that the earlier age of our Church had something better than the later age was able to bring forth in this field. To the old hymns of the core belongs the old liturgy, as B belongs to A. It would be inconsistency to accept the former and to reject the latter. Let us not stop halfway, after we have once, with praiseworthy resolution, laid the improving hand upon our worship, and let no one for his own person give room to suspicion: Ars non habet osorem nisi ignorantem *)."

*) In German: Art has no enemy but the ignorant.

Thereupon Dean Bachmann proposed that, after the two reports heard, the speech of the high director and the warm address of Bomhard, the assembly should declare itself in general agreement with the motions of the committee without discussion. And by an overwhelming majority, by rising from the seats, assent was given to this proposal.

After several discussions on the introduction of the order of divine service, which some deputies spun out afterwards, they came to the main subject of this (10th) session, the Catechism. But since space is lacking for more, we set down for the present only the result in brief. On the basis of the Nürnberger Kinderlehrbüchlein a catechism in question and answer is to be worked out, in which the former Spruchbuch in its first edition, as well as, as regards the explanations, Löhe's Hausbuch, and as regards the arrangement, Seiler's method, are to be taken into account. Then the catechism is to be communicated to the pastors for their judgment, and with consideration of these opinions the catechism is to be completed and thereupon introduced.

Luther

on the Necessity of a Right Call to the Conduct of the Holy Office of Preaching.

In the last number we communicated an admonition which was addressed by the Leipzig Pastoral Conference to the Synod of Missouri, etc., and to that of Buffalo. In it there occur some citations in the Latin language. It is desired, as we hear, by those who do not understand this language, that the citations be given to them also in German. We therefore herewith communicate the same according to the Walch German edition of the works of Luther.

The first passage reads as follows: "Therefore no one shall fall into another's harvest or reaping; as the devil does through his factions, who ever pretend how great and exceedingly vehement and hot a zeal drives them, as those to whom it is grievous at heart that the people are so miserably led astray; therefore, they say, they could not hold back, but would be compelled to preach the right truth and to loose the led-astray from the devil's snares. So it happens then, although one out of holy zeal and right good intention would gladly help some of the led-astray with wholesome doctrine, that yet by such an example a cause would be given to the godless teachers and lying preachers to thrust themselves in likewise; whereby then Satan wins the pulpits and preaching-chairs." (VIII, 1577.)

The other passage reads as follows: "That I now preach, baptize and administer the Sacrament, I have the command for it and am called thereto and required that I should do it; for God's Word has bidden me, not in a dark corner, secretly and hidden, but