# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 12 05_S63
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

63

"A Little Child So Lovely
Is Born to Us Today."

The Lutheran theologian Caspar Finck gives the following answer to the question whether it is right when one sings at Christmas the words contained in the heading:

When Melanchthon once at Wittenberg, on the Christmas festival, was going home from the city church, a saucy fellow sent his servant after him and had him ask: Why do people sing: "Is born to us today," when Christ was born long ago? Melanchthon answered: Tell your master: whether he does not need comfort today? This answer was pious and fitting. For although Christ was begotten of His Father through the eternal generation, and born of His mother in the fullness of time, yet He is still daily born in the hearts of the believers and grows in them. So the mercies and the goodness of God are from of old (Ps. 25, 6.) and yet are new every morning (Lam. 3, 23.) So Christ, although He suffered long ago for us, is yet now so new to us, just as if He had shed His blood at this very hour; for the fruit of the holy Passion comes to our benefit daily, and the Person and His merit are eternal. The Lamb is therefore called (because of the counsel that Christ should die, because of the sacrifices and other types, and because of the power of His merit) slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13, 8.) and Christ yesterday and today, and the same also forever.

"The Greatest Thinker in America."

So writes the Jesuit "Herold des Glaubens" published here (of the 26th of Novbr.) of the notorious great Jesuit windbag Brownson: "The censure of the enemies of the Church is for Mr. Brownson the pedestal (foot-stand) of the column of honor which America will one day erect to its keenest thinker." — We say that the "Herold" has thereby set up a column of honor for itself, on which the American posterity will one day read who was the feeblest thinker among its forefathers, or at any rate the most stupidly brazen flatterer. The proverb says: Fools think. In the sense of this proverb America will give the "Herold" right.

A Riddle from Luther's Table Talk.

I know a word that has an L,
Whoever sees it desires it quickly;
But if the L is off,
He sees nothing better in heaven and on earth.

Giving and Praying for God's Kingdom.

Not all who now give more than formerly for the advancement of the Kingdom of God also do more for it, but those who now pray more than formerly for the progress of the Kingdom of God. Many a one grows richer in earthly goods, and therefore now gives more; but becomes at the same time poorer in heavenly gifts, and therefore now prays less. Whoever is at once richer in both than formerly, he indeed prays not only more now, but also gives more now.—

Fiat applicatio! that is: Apply this now to yourself, dear reader, and examine yourself accordingly!

"THE CHRISTIAN BOOK OF CONCORD."

We have just received this book, the Christian Book of Concord or the Symbolical Books of the Evang. Luth. Church, translated from the German into English, in a second edition. This second edition is not a mere new reprint of the first edition, but a carefully revised edition of the important work, so well turned out already in the first. The revisers were the Doctors of Theology C. P. Krauth, Wm. M. Reynolds, J. G. Morris, C. F. Schäffer, and Prof. W. F. Lehmann. This English edition of our Confessional writings is given still more value by the fact that there is included in it also the full and thorough historical Introduction to the Lutheran Symbols by J. T. Müller (the editor of the German-Latin Book of Concord and of the Bavarian Sunday paper) and the list of testimonies from the Church Fathers, in English as well as in Latin. We regret only the one thing, that there have not also been taken into the 2nd edition the so-called Saxon Visitation Articles, which indeed contain only a Lutheran provincial particular confession and, since they were drawn up only later for the sake of the Crypto-Calvinists, naturally are not found in the original collection of the Lutheran Symbols of 1580, but which set forth the difference between the Lutheran and the Reformed Church as clearly and concisely as no other writing. At least these articles could with the same right be included as Luther's excellent "Short Admonition to Confession," which likewise is not contained in the original official edition of the Book of Concord and therefore forms no integral part of our Confession. We also miss, unwillingly, a complete alphabetical Index of the contents; the included Index of doctrinal articles cannot wholly replace it. But if we permit ourselves to express these wishes, we do not intend in the least to disparage the work. We rather praise God for it, as for an unspeakable benefit which He has thereby let come to the Church of our adopted fatherland, and we bless the dear editors for it in our hearts. It is as surprising as it is strengthening to faith that already in this year a second edition has become necessary. May now again very many hands reach also for this one, and may a third edition soon become necessary. Every German preacher of our Church too ought to be provided with a copy of the English Book of Concord. It costs, well bound in leather, not more than $2,50 and will be sent for this sum, if the same is remitted in cash to the editors Sol. D. Henkel & Brs., Newmarket, Shenandoah, Va., by mail, at the expense of the publishers, to any place in the United States.

The Evang. Luth. Mission Institution in Leipzig.

The Mission Board at Leipzig, in whose hand the direction of the whole activity of the Lutheran mission in Saxony is placed, is establishing a mission house in Leipzig, which is to receive the mission pupils and those who have applied. It is to be lamented, writes the "Pilger aus Sachsen," that Director Graul has not yet regained the former strength of health since his journey. In order not to let a gap arise, a fresh force has been obtained in a man who is to be placed at the Director's side and who is known by his "Bibelstunden," namely Dr. W. F. Besser, Lutheran pastor in Seefeld in Pomerania. He is, besides the pastoral care of the pupils, chiefly to take over the theological instruction, as well as the editing of that part of the Leipzig "Evang. Luth. Missions-Blatt" which is devoted to the communications from the foreign mission fields,—if it is desired, to visit the mission festivals of the branch societies, in order to work by addresses and communications stimulatingly and quickeningly,— and finally to represent Director Graul in cases of hindrance, as far as he is able. To the latter there will accordingly remain the instruction in the actual mission subjects, the correspondence, and the editing of the own news. — The income of the Leipzig Mission Society in the last year of the Society amounted to 4263 Thalers.—Pastor Pöschel *) in Hoffnungsthal near Odessa has hitherto received the available means of the Saxon Missionary Society for the instruction of Jewish proselytes in his house. The war has closed this door.

*) Whom many readers will still remember from Dresden.

Receipt and Thanks.

With hearty thanks I acknowledge that for my maintenance in the seminary here I have received the following gifts of love:

Through Rev. Pastor Föhlinger from some friends of the congregation here......$2 50
Through Rev. Pastor Klinckenberg from Mr. Wellmer, Jonesville, Batholm. Co. Ia. ..................... 2 00
Through Rev. Pastor Jäbker from his congregation Adams Co. Ia.............. 5 15
From Rev. Pastor Kolb Adams Co Ia. .... 2 75
From Mr. Teacher Richter.................. 1 05