# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 12 05_S60
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

60

al order an investigation at the court of the realm is ordered, and for ¼ year, on account of contempt of the evangelical (?) religion, house-of-correction punishment is adjudged." – A new proof that every sect, when it somewhere attains to power, is persecution-prone, even such a one as the so-called evangelical, which yet puts in the place of a love active in faith a faithless love. God be praised that we live here in a land of religious freedom, where the Church of Love cannot punish the Church of the One Faith and Confession with penal servitude, though the latter will know nothing of its sham love.

In the said Kirchenblatt it is further reported:

"Professor Kahnis in Leipzig has recently published a work: ""The Cause of the Lutheran Church in Face of the Union."" With penetrating clarity and certainty, with firm confidence in the truth, it points out the wrong and the untruth of the Union in its various forms. In contrast to this writing, which is written with such certainty, clarity and truth, the defense of the Union makes a strange impression, as it appears in a writing by Dr. Rudolph Stier, bearing the title: ""Unlutheran Theses."" Stier, disagreeably touched that his churchly thoughts and proposals, as e.g. on the improvement of the translation of the Bible, of the Lutheran Katechismusteries, and the like, find so little acceptance, is embittered against confessional definiteness. Himself neither Lutheran nor Reformed, but awaiting his confession from the Church of the Future, thus having none of his own, he wishes to form this future confession through majority decisions of the congregations and synods, that it may be a free one.*) Stier arrives finally at the result (conclusion), which runs thus: ""I unite myself, if it were possible and if they would only confess my Lord Christ in some way, rather with all honestly seeking Rationalists, to whom your dogma-bugbear has hitherto prevented finding Christ, than with you, who are absolutely bent on quarreling in the congregations of God.""

One sees from such testimonies anew whither the men of a certain middle and of the future come; from year to year one piece of ground after another slips from under their feet, they hang and hover in the middle, seek with their feet firm ground and find none where they can stand, they cry: come, Future, come; and their Future does not come, for they want one that is not promised in the Word. We are quite willing to be called by such persons stubborn, obscurantists, rigid, fanatics, and whatever else the spirit of the world finds for abusive names."

*) The Unionists here, namely here in the West, have made it easier for themselves. The "Spiritual" gentlemen, namely, have patched together a new Catechism, which they now wish to force upon all the congregations that wish to be counted to their Union-evangelical Church.
Ed.

(Submitted.)

Catechism Doctrine

on John 20, 22. 23.

Jesus breathed on his disciples – the image of God restored. Receive ye the Holy Ghost! – which they had already received, but received again, as we draw breath anew every moment: for the Holy Ghost is not given to us as a dollar which we put in the pocket, but through living union with him, which is maintained by a constant interchange of coming and meeting on his side and on ours. Also in the glowing sand of the sinful heart the fruit of the Holy Spirit constantly withers away, so that it ever again has need of the quickening dew and living breath, which, as he moved creatively upon the waters, is still more necessary for spiritual life and growth. As a marble image on a grave or a statue in the market-place is soiled by dust and filth, which the rain washes off again, so the image of God, which Christ in the humanity which he assumed perfectly restored and gave to all the baptized, is constantly exposed to the defilement of our sinful heart and can be kept pure only by constant washing by the Holy Ghost. Hence also the necessity of Absolution.

The LORD says first: Receive ye the Holy Ghost, that no one may think a man bestows something upon him in Absolution and attach himself to persons.

The Holy Ghost is where one believes in Christ. No one knows how to find out the individual believers. But this is certain, that God's Word never returns void, and where it sounds, there is faith in the holy congregation also. The third Article therefore places the Holy Ghost and the holy Christian Church, the congregation of saints, side by side, and indeed without medium: for there is nothing between the two; they are joined with one another like husband and wife.

In the congregation and from the congregation, as from the LORD and Head of the congregation: for how could anything be of her and not of Him, of Him and not of her, the bride betrothed to the Bridegroom in faith through his righteousness? – is at the same time with her the office that preaches reconciliation. The congregation cannot live if she does not preach. She needs a mouth, as she cannot do without eyes. Her mouth is just the office set together with her and essentially founded in her. Thus the holy office shines on the head of the royal bride of Christ, high exalted above all glory that is of the earth, above all imperial and royal crowns in the lofty adornment from the one Master's creative hand, at once as scepter, protecting over God's kingdom, threatening against enemies stretched out, and has, itself only so much the more ennobled the purer the royal blood of its mistress and sovereign lady is, the blessed double calling, as steward to keep what God gave to the congregation in Christ, Word and Sacrament and the sheep of the pasture of Jesus Christ begotten through both in faith, and as a light that spreads round about the bright shining of the Gospel, to war against and subdue the darkness of unbelief and thereby to win and conquer the prey of the hellish wolf for the true LORD, in that it brings the peace of God.

The Church has such an office even now. But as the water in the bed of the stream only flows, which in its source bubbles up, so she has it now in another form than at the beginning. The Apostles were

1. called by Christ visibly and without means, whereas a present pastor receives his divine call from the congregation,

2. so endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost that they were enlightened by him immediately and led without erring into all truth, whereas a present pastor errs not only when he preaches the Word of the Apostles,

3. in possession of the gift of miracles, which attested their divine call, was as it were the seal of it, whereas it needs only the gift of teaching and ruling in order that someone in present times may administer the pastoral office,

4. like the sun in heaven given to the whole world for light until the last day, and had everywhere a pulpit built by God, whereas a present pastor has One flock assigned to him by divine call, and so compared with the Apostles is to be likened to a little sulphur-match, which lights a few paces and when it has burned out goes out. Every other teacher and shepherd stands under the Apostles and can and shall at once be rejected if he does not hold himself in doctrine and life by the rule of the Apostles' doctrine. Only the Apostles' Word is unconditionally necessary to salvation; only as a means, that their Word may be made known and received, has the service of the holy ministry value. In case a pastor, however lawfully called and ordained, departs from the pure doctrine, it is not merely permissible, but by the saying: "Beware of beware of the false prophets!" commanded, to hear him no more. And if anyone on this account until his death came no more into the house of God, he would yet be saved, just because he walks in the light of those who shall sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

K. Röbbelen.

[Submitted.]

Brockenkorb.

What is represented piecemeal in the creatures is essentially united in Christ. The