# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 11 28_S51
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

51

might wish, in which examples of wonderful leadings of God, answers to prayer, divine judgments, etc., shall be included. These contributions shall be gathered into a book under the title: Das wunderbare Walten Gottes in unserer Zeit. The Secretary for the time being is to keep the same.

With regard to the baptism of children, it was said that with children over four years of age one must already think of instruction before they are baptized, since at that age the spirit of contradiction begins to stir. One must instruct them concerning the main content of the Christian doctrine, concerning sin, the grace of God in Christ, eternal blessedness, etc.

As to the admission of children to confirmation instruction, some follow the rule of not admitting them before the twelfth year.

It is to be censured when a Lutheran, in contempt of the churchly copulation, lets himself be married by a Squire.

It was mentioned that the world and the sects now often give Lutherans the name "Old Lutherans." This is done especially by the Evangelicals and Methodists. As far as the reproach is concerned, we would most gladly let ourselves be so called for JESUS' sake, of whom the people also said that He was one of the old prophets. Since, however, our conscience bears us witness in the Holy Ghost that we hold fast faithfully to the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, we protest against that designation and must, alas, declare the said opponents to be either ignorant or malicious slanderers. We protest against it because we are not forming, and do not wish to form, a new sect; rather we confess ourselves to the one, holy, Christian Church, and are convinced that we belong to it, since our Church bears the marks by which the true Church is recognizable in all times and lands, namely the same pure and unadulterated Word and Sacrament. Therefore we declare all who fall away from the confession of the Lutheran Church to be apostates. We protest against it, finally, because we agree with the true Lutheran Church of all lands, and regard it as a shameful trick of our opponents when they would defraud us, by nicknames, false accusations, and lying representations, of the blessed good of fellowship with our brethren in the faith in all parts of the world.

On Sunday the Reverend Pastors Lange and Lochner preached; Pastor Strasen delivered the confessional address.

Fifth Session on the 16th of October.

To the joy of the Conference, a brotherly letter arrived from Pastor Schieferdecker, in which he not only excused his non-appearance with weighty reasons, but also communicates his humble opinion concerning the "Lutheraner." He writes about it the following words worthy of consideration: "I have in mind, namely, merely the benefit of the poor country people, who nevertheless seem to me, at least here in the West, to form the kernel of the Lutheran Church. For these there is too much of the good. If it were only half as large as formerly, it would be better read. With very many, if not with most, reading in itself proceeds very slowly; the other books, especially the Bible, they will not, as is fair and right, let lie wholly neglected over it; thus they cannot work their way through the mass of what is given. The experiences have come to my hands in great variety. Our "Lutheraner" would gain a thousandfold greater circulation if it were half as large, half as cheap, and altogether popular. Alongside of it a learned paper could then be published. The poor, uneducated, ignorant country people demand consideration. It is impossible to raise them so soon to such a stage of culture that a paper written, on the whole, in a rather elevated style, exceedingly rich in contents, and presupposing thorough knowledge as well as skill of judgment, could afford them just this pleasure and the same enjoyment which one of us has from it. You will not misunderstand me, dear Walther, as though I wished in any way to deny the worth of our organ, conducted by so practised a hand. Far be that; it only grieves me for the poor, ignorant, and neglected people; neither do I deny that a considerable part of the contents is quite popular; but they do not know how to find it out of the mass. Therefore it seems to me much more advisable to separate the people's paper and the learned paper."

However much the Conference was in agreement with the opinion of the dear author, it was nevertheless pointed out that the "Lutheraner" has a twofold task, namely not merely the instruction of the country people, but also of the educated and of preachers. Therefore it is necessary that more thorough treatises, refutations of false doctrines, etc., appear from time to time. Yet at the same time care must be taken that, if possible, no number be unfruitful for the people, and that the language be throughout brief, simple, and intelligible. The members of the Conference declared that they rejoiced as often as they received a number of the "Lutheraner," and hereby encourage the Editor to continue confidently in his richly blessed labor, with God's help, for the good of the Church.

Thereupon Pastor Lochner laid before the Conference the question: Whether a man, by his call to a congregation, is thereby at the same time called by God to the holy ministry for his whole life, and 2. whether ordination is a confirmation of the call to the spiritual office in general, or whether ordination must be repeated as often as a man is called to another congregation.

Concerning the call, the following fine passage in Gerhard's loc. theol. was read: "The expression call is taken in a twofold meaning. Once, namely, it designates the act of choosing, calling, and sending to an office, Is. 49, 1.: The LORD hath called me from the womb. Then also the manner of life to which men are called, that is, the occupation which is assigned to any one by God, 1 Cor. 7, 20.: Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Accordingly the service of the Church can also be called a special calling or station, into which the servants of the Church are placed by God. Without doubt, however, the Holy Ghost has His special purpose in this, on account of which He calls that work of divine grace, by which the Church is provided with servants, a calling. 1. The divine calling is, namely, so effectual that thereby that begins to be which was not there before. Rom. 4, 17.: God quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Thus the servants of the Church are equipped by the divine calling with the gifts which are necessary for them to fulfil properly the duties of the office entrusted to them. Whom God sends, him He makes fit. 2. When something becomes manifest which before was not yet known and perceived, then Holy Scripture calls it a calling. Matt. 5, 9.: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God, that is, they shall be manifested and recognized as children of God by their love of peace: even so the eternal counsel of God concerning their election to the service of the Church is manifested through the lawfully performed calling of the servants of the Church. 3. As that work of grace, by which God calls men to His kingdom by means of the preaching of the Gospel, is an entirely undeserved benefit, 1 Pet. 2, 9.: Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, 10.: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy: so also the calling to the ministry is a work of pure and undeserved grace. Gal. 1, 15.: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace. . . . This calling to the ministry is absolutely necessary for those who, according to the will of God, with a good conscience and for the blessing of their hearers, wish to be in this office. The Augsburg Confession says about it, Article 14: Concerning church government it is taught that no one should publicly teach or preach or administer the Sacraments in the Church without a regular call."

Gerhard now reckons, according to 1 Cor. 4, 1., among the faithfulness in office commanded by God, steadfastness, perseverance (constantia) in the regular calling, namely that the servant of the Church should not exchange his office for another out of fickle levity, but remain in his calling, in which he has to regard himself as appointed by God. Hence there are only exceedingly few and rare cases in which a preacher may with a good conscience voluntarily lay down his office. Thus sometimes