# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 01 09_S79
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

79

the simplicity and purity, to the faithfulness and circumspection with which the Fathers of the Reformation took the golden ore of the truth, which makes us free if we know it, out of the full treasury of the Scripture, and set it forth in its pure, untroubled luster. To cite but one doctrine about which so much is said and written in our days, the doctrine of the Church I mean — we can boast with the Smalcald Articles: "Thank God, a child of seven years knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and the lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd; for so the children pray: I believe one holy Christian Church. This holiness consists not in surplices, tonsures, long gowns, and other ceremonies of theirs, invented beyond Holy Scripture, but in the Word of God and true faith." Is it enough that one abhors the wretched church-making of this country, where one supplies 8—10 congregations each with one church-keeper, builds churches, brings the whole into a routine of business through a synod, and carries on the preacher's trade like a guild and with the greatest possible profit for the purse? Do not those also err grossly who indeed speak of the Church as of an organism, but by that by no means understand the body of which Christ is the Head, and we the members, who render one another assistance according to the measure of the gifts, but some constitution or other with a head that is not Christ? Who see the unity of the Church not in the One Spirit, in the One faith, in the One baptism, in the One LORD, but in a monarchical ecclesiastical state, in the unity of a human scaffolding which is first to help up the Church, which is supposed to be hemmed in and hindered in its victorious course by faithful adherence to the pure confession and by doctrine and practice conformable to it? As if it were not precisely that which is its victorious course, when the Word runs and grows! —

And so we could unfortunately go on for a long time yet; but what has been said is probably enough to show to everyone that truly that which the Lutheraner has ever wanted is still today earnestly needed, more needed than an edifying paper for the people, even more than a learned theological journal. Therefore let the Lutheraner remain what it is. But the LORD, the merciful God, bless its labors, as HE has visibly done hitherto. A. C.

(Communicated by P. Johannes.)

A Testimony for the Announcement before the Celebration of the Holy Supper, from the Sermon of M. Veit Dietrich on the Venerable Sacrament.

Every faithful and conscientious preacher will always have to complain of two great evils on introducing this custom: first, he will perceive that the majority of our German immigrants in the old fatherland have lacked almost all pastoral care, so that it therefore now appears strange to them and burdensome on all sides; second, hatred and slander will also put all kinds of hindrances in his way in this matter. Both evils can, it is hoped, be met by the testimony of a contemporary of Luther and fellow-believer. Our Lutheran brethren in the faith will see from it that we do not wish to force anything new upon them if we require that everyone who wishes to go to the holy Supper announce himself personally beforehand to his pastor. But it will bring only honor to our adversaries if they listen with calm reflection to the words of so approved a theologian and accordingly assent to the good cause, or at least cease to revile. Now let us hear our Veit Dietrich himself. He writes:

"And for this very reason, that everyone may rightly examine himself and go worthily to the Supper, and not receive it to his judgment, all faithful and diligent pastors and curates of souls should not admit their parishioners to the venerable Sacrament unless they have first announced themselves. Not that one would hold them to the popish confession, in which there never was anything good, nor will anything come of it, but only, first, that thereby better order may be kept, and the ministers of the altar may know how much bread and wine they are to set out, and also that each one may be questioned as to his faith and understanding, whether he also knows what he is doing there? that, where there should be a lack in this, he may be thoroughly instructed.

For if the pastor or minister of the church does not know the number, disorder may occur, that too little bread or wine is set out. From this still other disorder and probably offense also may arise, which can be prevented in this way, if the people are accustomed to announce themselves personally beforehand. For in the church everything should proceed in good order, and serve for edification.

But this offense is far greater and more dangerous when the pastor lets people go to the Supper who either have no understanding of it, or otherwise do not know what it behooves Christians to know. There is sin on both sides. The minister of the church sins in admitting such persons; and they also sin, in that they go and yet have no understanding of it. Such sin cannot be met unless the minister of the church keep this order, that he admit no one who has not announced himself and given account of his faith.

Such instruction has at all times been in the church, and was given through the Catechism, until the Pope brought up confession in its place and let the Catechism fall altogether. But we are not only to pull down, but also to build again. The evil we are to abolish, and the good to set up. And there will be no Christian who, when he rightly considers this reason, will complain of the announcing, because it serves the people for the salvation of their souls, that they be well instructed in the faith, and a great abominable sin be prevented, which without doubt would also bring general judgments upon the land. For consider yourself what this Supper is, and who has instituted it? If it were mere bread and wine, as the enthusiasts hold, the sin might be reckoned slight. But there is the body and blood of Christ. Now Christ commands that we shall eat there His body and drink His blood, and remember Him therein.

But there the coarse rabble runs in crowds, more from habit than from understanding and devotion, and so it comes to pass, through the negligence of the ministers of the church and the frivolity of the rude Christians, that the pearls are cast before swine and dogs, and not only does the remembrance of the death of Christ remain behind with such people, but they also dishonor the body and blood of Christ and make themselves guilty thereby.

Every pastor and curate of souls should with the highest diligence guard against such sin, and do his part, that he admit no one unless he has announced himself, and know that there is no lack of Christian understanding and conduct. For to this also every curate of souls should look, that he not admit those who live in open offenses and are burdened with particular sins, unless they show themselves so that they will amend and cease from them. Let this be said briefly and in the plainest manner concerning the preparation. But everything together depends upon this, that the heart be upright."

Hereupon M. Veit Dietrich now gives a common form, how the people who wish to go to the Sacrament are to be examined and instructed, of which we would also communicate a few words. "Above all things," he says there, "as reported above, the ministers of the church should inquire whether those also who wish to go to the Sacrament have sufficient understanding of Christian doctrine, and especially of the holy Sacrament? Now Christian doctrine stands in six chief parts, which are called the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the institution of Baptism, of the Keys, and of the Supper. These chief parts every Christian should know well by heart, word for word, and have a fair understanding of them, or shall not be admitted to the Sacrament.

Therefore every pastor, besides other sermons, should ply the Catechism with particular diligence, and impress it well upon the people, and not think it a burden to examine first, in respect of these parts, those who wish to receive the Sacrament, and to inquire whether they know them or not. Those who do not know them he shall not admit until they learn them. The others, however, he shall first earnestly admonish to take good heed to themselves and not to receive this Supper unworthily, to their judgment. For God will not let such sin go unpunished, as St. Paul says of the Corinthians, that many have sinned against this Sacrament and caused God to punish them with sickness and with death.....

Although it will not fail, every pastor will find among his little flock many who have instruction concerning the faith and the Sacrament, and therefore need neither questioning nor instructing: yet no one should be so immodest as to be unwilling, for the sake of the order which must be kept in such matters, to announce himself to his pastor.