# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1855 03 27_S121
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Der Lutheraner.

"God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall to eternity endure."

Revelation of John, Chap. 14, v. 6, 7.

Published by the German Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States.

Edited by C. F. W. Walther.

Year 11.  St. Louis, Mo., March 27, 1855.  No. 16.

Terms: Der Lutheraner appears once every two weeks at the yearly subscription price of One Dollar for out-of-town subscribers, who are to pay the same in advance and bear the postage.— In St. Louis each single number is sold for 5 Cents. Only those letters which contain communications for the paper are to be sent to the editor; all others, however, which contain business matters, orders, cancellations, money, etc., are to be sent here to the address: Mr. F. W. Barthel, care of C. F. W. Walther, St. Louis, Mo.

(Sent in by Pastor Wyneken.)

The Distress of the Lutheran Church

since the death of Luther, and its deliverance therefrom through the Religious Peace of Augsburg concluded on September 25, 1555.

An historical contribution to this year's celebration of the Peace Jubilee on the coming September 25.

Continuation.

The Smalcaldic League.

What now were the Protestants to do? Were they to let the Emperor, with his troops, Spanish and Italian especially, thirsting for the blood of heretics, march into their lands without resistance? Were they to look on while these barbarous war-hordes, filled with satanic fanaticism against the supposed heretics, vented their rage with notorious cruelty upon their poor defenseless subjects, and brought unspeakable misery upon the land? Dared they, as princes of the Empire, who also bore the responsibility for the preservation of the laudable liberty of the German nation, leave the sword in its scabbard, when an overmighty Emperor, against the rights of the Empire, placed two of the most distinguished princes of the Empire under the ban unheard, and thereby plainly revealed what, despite his lofty words, he had in mind against them for the upholding of German liberty? Were they, by tame submission, to become traitors to themselves, to their subjects, yea to Germany? And with right and liberty, was not the truth also at stake together with them?

Had not German emperors before this already taught the Pope in practice the difference between Christ's kingdom and the kingdom of the world, and instructed him how each should keep within the bounds of the power committed to him, the Pope as well as the Emperor; why then should not German princes now also make this doctrine plain to their elective sovereign with the sword, since the mouth and the pen had not been able to do so thus far, at so many diets, in so many protests issued by them? For what had the Emperor's government to do with conscience, since in other respects they had everywhere shown themselves faithful subjects? Was he still to be honored as Emperor, and obeyed, where he had laid down his imperial dignity, as it were, at the feet of Antichrist, in order to become his bond-servant and a traitor, not only against the highest goods of a people, right and liberty, but also against the Church, whose protector he called himself?

Reason left to itself would probably not have wavered long here, particularly among such brave men, who loved above all things independence and the liberty given them of God, among princes who loved their people, and had often testified that they were willing to give up body and life, goods and honor for the Gospel.

But this very Gospel taught too plainly that every authority is of God, and that one must obey it for conscience' sake. The choice had not become so easy for them, and after they had made it, their whole manner of acting showed plainly enough that their conscience had not been brought to rest in it. Landgrave Philip wrote later at least to Bucer: "God does not will that the Evangelical cause be maintained by sword and force, but by preaching, confessing, suffering, dying and the cross."

As early as 1529 this point had come into question. The danger, which was then perhaps as threatening as now, had brought the Protestants to the thought of uniting more closely with one another, in order to render each other help, should anyone be attacked on account of religion. On this they soon agreed, whether the Upper German cities, which in faith inclined more toward the Swiss, should be received, or not. Their request to be taken into the league to be formed was flatly refused. Not so easily was the other question decided, whether in such a case resistance might be offered to the Emperor. The theologians were against it. Luther indeed compared the relation of his Elector to the Emperor with the relation of a burgomaster in Torgau to the Elector himself; even if the Emperor should break his oath, he would nevertheless remain Emperor, the authority set by God; if one no longer wished to obey him, one would have to depose him; whither could it lead at all, if one took up arms against him? One would have to drive him out and become Emperor oneself, which no one would then tolerate. If the Emperor should appear, that was his