# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 11 07_S45
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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le of his house, and sat for the most part musing over the Psalms, the exposition of which he had begun earlier. Toward the end of the year 1569 he collapsed, struck by apoplexy, over the 107th Psalm. He lived, indeed, several months more, but as one who scarcely belongs any longer to this world. In August 1570 a violent fever seized him. Feeling his end near, he assembled the preachers of Stuttgart, together with his family, around him, and had his son Johannes, who was a professor at Tübingen, read his testament to them. In the first part of it he gratefully remembers his parents, his calling, and his life in holy wedlock; thereafter he makes his confession of faith, in which he calls, among other things, the Holy Scripture an "epistle of the almighty God to the human race," the short summary of which is comprised in the Apostolic, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds. He gives thanks especially that God had granted him life in this age, in which the light of the Gospel had risen again through Luther. Gratefully he blesses the princely house of Würtemberg, which had granted him shelter and protection and had remembered him with princely grace. The second part of the testament contained his domestic arrangements. When it had been read, he made his confession and, with his family and his brethren in the ministry, partook of the Holy Supper; thereafter he took leave in a heartfelt discourse. For some days more he lived quietly, as one who had already overcome death; on the 11th of September he fell gently asleep in his Lord. As he had desired, he was buried in the collegiate church at Stuttgart close by the pulpit, so that, if perhaps in time to come anyone should proclaim from this pulpit a doctrine contrary to that which he had preached, he might raise his head from the grave and call out to him: Thou liest! — Help, O God, that after the noble example of our fathers we may teach God's Word purely and do what is right, through Jesus Christ our highly-praised Savior! Amen.

Instruction concerning Church Visitations.*)

Under the 8th of April there has been issued by the royal Bavarian Upper Consistory a new "Instruction for the church visitations to be undertaken yearly by the Deans," from which I wish to communicate some things to the reader which will surely please him. In the first place, it is impressed upon the Deans that at the visitations they should direct their attention and their care chiefly to this, that the Word of God be taught clearly and purely in the sense of the confessions of the Church and the holy Sacraments be administered according to their institution, and also that the members of the congregations be led, through instruction and pastoral care, to submit themselves to the discipline of the divine Word and to order their walk according to it. Then it is ordained that the church visitations be treated not as a "business," but as a service for the edification of the individual congregations as well as of the whole Church, by means of sympathetic counsel and care, open testimony of faith, and hearty intercession. They shall therefore, where possible, be held on Sundays, at the very least the Sunday afternoons shall be used for them. The Dean and the local pastor shall then appear in clerical dress, and the former shall set before the members of the church council, of the church and congregational administration, as well as the schoolteachers and the lesser church servants, who have been publicly invited on the Sunday before, how it is the duty of the ecclesiastical superiors to examine carefully how the church life is ordered in each congregation, but also the duty of the members of the congregation called in, namely of the church council, to cooperate willingly and conscientiously, so that existing hindrances and damages may be uncovered and removed, and the church's affairs in their whole significance be advised and promoted in accordance with the divine Word, the confession of the Church, and church order. When this has been accomplished in the parsonage or in the sacristy, the assembled shall proceed in orderly procession, with the ringing of the bells, into the church and take the places especially appointed for them. There the Dean shall not merely take into consideration the whole course of the divine service, but at the last also himself take the word, in order to tell the congregation what may be wholesome and serviceable for it according to its particular churchly and moral condition. But if the visitation, because of insurmountable hindrances, takes place on a weekday, it must nevertheless also begin with a divine service, in which, after the hymn and the altar prayer, the entire youth bound to the catechetical instruction, as well as the upper divisions of the weekday scholars, shall be examined on the main contents of the Catechism in such a way that one may see whether they have thoroughly learned and also understood the portions of the Catechism, the Bible verses, and the spiritual hymns. This examination, begun by the pastor, the Dean continues and closes with a suitable address, whereupon a verse of a hymn is sung and the blessing follows. But even when the visitation takes place on Sunday forenoon, this examination must not be omitted, but must be undertaken in the afternoon service.

After the divine service the Dean betakes himself with the pastor, the delegated members of the congregation, and the teachers into the sacristy or the parsonage. Here he shall openly, but in a gentle spirit, set before each party his duties, and entreat and admonish each in love and earnestness to help, in his place and with his gifts, to promote the kingdom of JEsus Christ in the congregation.

*) We communicate the report of this arrangement, brought about chiefly through Dr. Harleß, all the more gladly because just now our Right Reverend Mr. President is beginning his visitation tour according to the arrangement made also among us. Ed. of the L.

First, then, he shall turn to the pastor, laying upon his heart a fitting passage, e.g. Acts 20, 28—31, or 1 Tim. 3, 1—8, or 4, 12. 13, or 6, 3—5, and the like, and shall question him, while at the same time drawing the members of the church council and the teacher into the conversation, how he seeks to attend to his office, whether in preaching and instruction he holds fast to the confession of the Church; whether in the exercise of his calling he renounces all arbitrariness and self-will and is ready to serve the Church in her ordered estate; in particular whether he devotes to the instruction of the catechumens, to the religious instruction in the Christenlehre and in the schools, the required time and care as prescribed. Further, the visitor shall inquire how the divine services on Sundays and weekdays, how the funerals and weddings, especially how and when the confession and Communion services are held; how the Agenda is used, whether the liturgical order is observed; how the pastor exercises pastoral care, whether he begins with himself and his own house, whether he lives in Christian peace with teacher and congregation.

Secondly, he shall see whether the teachers in the schools, according to their obligation, are diligent in introducing the youth to the Catechism, etc.; what they accomplish in organ-playing and church singing; whether they punctually and willingly perform their duties as servants of the church; whether they go before the congregation with a churchly mind and good example, and the like.

Thirdly, he shall confer with the members of the church council, on the basis of the minutes of their sessions at hand, concerning their task as well as the manner of their activity; he shall put to them the question whether it is a real earnest concern with them, without regard to the thanks or ingratitude of the world, to help to promote the kingdom of JEsus Christ in hearty agreement with their pastor; he shall seek to convince them with clear words of Holy Scripture (Acts 6, 3. 1 Tim. 3, 8—14) that they can fulfil their calling with blessing only when they themselves first keep the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, rule well their own houses, and enjoy a good report among the congregation.

In the fourth place, the visitor shall turn to the members of the congregation and the teachers present, all together, and ask how the congregation stands toward its pastor—Heb. 13, 17, and others—, how it has hitherto availed itself of the benefit of the spiritual office which preaches reconciliation, what form the Church of Christ—Eph. 2, 19—22. 4, 15. 16. 1 Pet. 2, 9. 10, and others—has taken in the congregation; he shall inform himself concerning church attendance, concerning participation in the Holy Supper, concerning the keeping of Sunday and domestic