# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 07 10_S183
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

183

of a number of congregations holds itself for the whole."

As regards the last point, I do not believe that this error actually occurs frequently; I have nowhere yet had opportunity to recognize it definitely, but hold it, especially among fanatical sects, to be indeed possible, and suppose that it may be found, e. g., also among many German Methodists. The first error, however, may be more frequent, perhaps among most Christians living on in the flesh; yet I believe also that among such persons there is as a rule no real concern at all whether they belong to the true Church.

Although the note, however, gives this explanation of the poem, one sees nevertheless from the poem itself that something else is meant. It seems to us as if the united opposition to the pure Confession had contributed a good part to the poet's enthusiasm. Of this the first verse bears witness among other things, which closes thus:

"Yet the eternal, holy, divine Dome
Stands not in Wittenberg, Geneva and Rome."

That is a very peculiar confession, resting either on ignorance of history or on a self-contradictory opinion. According to the poet's view the holy temple of the Church rests upon eternal pillars, and that is certainly so; but on earth, too, it is surely to be found? The poet says: it extends over heaven and earth. That is also true; but is it then merely invisible? The poet says: Only he who is consecrated to go in can see this wonderful structure. Apart from this, that this is not quite correct, for the Pharisees and haughty scribes undoubtedly saw that first little flock also, with its divine walk and divine joy in the Holy Ghost; apart from this, the poet must, if he knows history, also know that in Wittenberg the same Church was once seen and heard (as the shoemaker Hans Sachs says: "The Wittenberg nightingale, Whom one now hears everywhere"); perhaps one may still see it there today, if the LORD should happen to lead one to it. But if one can see it there, then it stands also in Wittenberg. Yet it is already evident enough that he is here merely expressing his opposition to the pure Confession. That this is "exclusive" is a matter of course. Also, in the same number of that paper "heretics" are spoken of, so that they themselves also declare their confession to be "exclusive."

As the German Methodists drive the Law in a perverted way, so these people the Union, so that they keep no clear eyes, but do not see the wood for the many trees. —

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handywork. Ps. 19, 2.

Athanasius Kirchner, a famous astronomer, convinced an atheist of the existence of God in the following manner: This man had namely long wished that someone might convince him of it, and Kirchner had already often tried it in vain. At last he hit upon the following idea: At the time when his friend was to come to him, he set a beautiful globe, representing the starry heaven, in a corner of his room. When his friend came, he busied himself with astronomical calculations, which obliged the other to look about the room meanwhile. Then he at once noticed the beautiful globe, and asked Kirchner whether it belonged to him? Who had made it and placed it there? Kirchner answered: it was not his, nobody had made it, it must have come there by chance. "That I cannot believe, it is improbable, it is absolutely impossible," replied the friend, and seemed to become indignant that Kirchner would persuade him of anything so foolish. Kirchner at once seized this opportunity and said: "You will not believe that this poor and small body arose of itself? How can you believe that the much greater and fairer original has become of itself, by a mere chance, such as we now see it and justly admire?" — By this happy device his friend was won, and recognized the folly of an atheist.

Vengeance is mine! I will repay! saith the LORD. Deut. 32, 35.

Michael, Bishop of Salzburg, a better hunter than priest, held in the year 1537 a great hunt, in which a stag that had been shot broke through the toils, and fell dead in the grain of a poor peasant. The poor peasant found the stag, took the booty with him, dressed the game, and for a considerable time nourished himself and his family on it. — But this was betrayed. The bishop had the poor man seized at once and thrown into a loathsome prison, as if he had been the greatest criminal. He commanded his government to bring the peasant to trial and to condemn him to a miserable death. The councillors, as honest men, had scruples about putting a man to death on account of a dead beast, and were unwilling to pronounce the sentence upon the peasant themselves. At once the bishop himself mounted the judgment seat, and pronounced the following sentence: "Because the peasant, by carrying home the game, has transgressed against his authority, he shall be sewn into the hide of the stolen animal and given up to the bishop's hounds; but if he will run so fast on hands and feet that he can escape the hounds, then his life shall be granted him." — The sentence was actually executed upon the poor man. He was sewn in, and brought to an open place. Here the spiritual lord let the best-trained and largest of his hounds loose upon the unfortunate man, put the hunting horn himself right joyfully to his mouth, and now the hounds at once fell furiously upon the peasant, and tore him in many pieces. The day after, this monster rode to the hunt, fell with his horse, and broke his neck!

Resignation to God's Will in Cases of Death.

Gottfried von Häseler, who died in the year 1752 as Royal Privy Councillor, experienced the hard lot that within seven days he lost his four eldest sons, full of great promise, by the smallpox. Three of them were carried to the grave on one day. With great composure the weeping father followed their coffins. When the last was lowered, the news came to his ears: the fourth also had just died. Now he fell into a swoon; but as soon as he had recovered, he spoke of this manifold, very painful loss with all the composure of a Christian. His tender father's heart felt it indeed as long as he lived; he often testified that he had been much bowed down by the hard divine dispensation; but with what frame of mind he bore it, his own words, with which he recorded this sorrowful event in his diary, can best prove. They are as follows: "In October 1723 the LORD of life and death has shown us a hard thing: within seven days our four eldest sons, full of hope, have been snatched from us by death through the smallpox. May God gladden their souls, dearly bought by the blood of Christ, before the throne of the Lamb to all eternity! Us poor parents, sorely bowed down, may He teach to recognize His holy counsel, and to consider that what He doeth is well done! — Once we shall see in the light what was dark here on earth, and shall then cry out together with our children: Father! here are we and those whom thou hast given us."

Announcement of a Death.

With deep affliction we hereby make known to the dear readers, especially to the dear brethren in office, that by God's unsearchable counsel Mr. C. H. Siegmund Buttermann, late pastor of the German Ev. Lutheran congregation at Chester, Randolph Co., Illinois, of whose entrance into the holy office we gave notice with great joy in No. 20 of this paper, died on the 12th inst. of the cholera after a sickness of only seven hours.

The deceased was born at Weferlingen in the Province of Saxony, where his father was Superin-