# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 08 07_S199
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

199

nounce to our dear readers. It lies before us. We have examined the new edition and can assure that Mr. Ludwig has kept his word and has given us the old Hübner again with diplomatic exactness as to form and content,*) even with inclusion of the beautiful preface of the Hamburg Ministerium of 1713 and that of the author, in which latter the blessed Hübner gives to parents and teachers an excellent hint for the right use of his little book. Yes, Mr. Ludwig has accomplished more than he promised. He has namely added to the Histories, as an appendix, the precious "Betbüchlein für Kinder. Herausgegeben von Wilhelm Löhe. Stuttgart. 1846." Even some pleasing woodcuts were not allowed to be lacking. The format is the usual handy American school-book format. Printing, paper, and binding are as one can only wish at so low a price.

*) The one change made in the new edition we can well enough approve. In the old editions, namely, the Scripture passages stand in the margin. In this one they are partly inserted in the text, partly omitted, when the verses are taken from the chapters already noted above the history.

The orthodox German Lutheran Church of America, which is still so poor in good books, above all bloodlessly poor in good school-books, has great cause to thank the LORD that the excellent little Hübner book is hereby given to her again. It is especially gratifying that, by God's ordering, precisely a collection of the Biblical histories opens the ranks. History, and not abstract doctrines, is that upon which all Christianity rests; historical instruction should therefore always form the foundation of Christian instruction and always be and remain a chief part of it. A Christian doctrine without sacred history is a monstrosity. That was indeed the very abomination which Rationalism had set up in the holy place of the Christian schools, that instead of the great deeds of God, which have been done for the salvation of men, it preached to the children the works and virtues of men. Most of our present hearers therefore certainly understand often less of our sermons than we suppose, since they are unacquainted with the so often presupposed historical foundations (the Fall, the giving of the Law, the Promise, the Covenant, etc.). If again a believing generation, well grounded in faith, is to grow up, it is above all necessary that in our schools Biblical history again take the first place beside the Catechism. Rightly says Luther: "What are the Biblical histories otherwise than the visible Word of faith, or the work of faith, which teaches us in deed and work just that which the Holy Scripture otherwise prescribes by words and speeches?" To be sure, Biblical history also can be corrupted, namely when, as happens in the Weyl Hübner, it is used almost only to draw from it dry moralities severed from faith. Of this also Luther rightly writes: "If one neglects to treat of faith in the holy histories, the heathen histories will be far more important and glorious; and accordingly it must necessarily follow that a heart which is so empty of faith and follows natural reason gets a loathing of the Biblical histories, despises them, and regards them as worthless trifles compared with the great deeds of the monarchs in the world." (Werke. Hall. XIV, 176. 77.) The old Hübner, however, has precisely the infinite advantage that by means of history he seeks to implant in young minds the order of salvation. How gladly, moreover, children in particular hear histories, everyone will know from his own experience. We have repeatedly observed that to old people no school-book from their youth has been dearer and more precious than their Hübner; in none do most study more willingly also at home, since through the questions placed beneath the text and exactly numbered the child is put in a position to examine himself in a most entertaining manner.

Well then, ye parents, make use of the opportunity now offered you, to procure for your children a treasure which neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through, which is worth more than many thousand pieces of gold and silver. Look not at the small money that ye must sacrifice for it; that would otherwise be a great shame to you, for, to speak with Luther, "is not here your penny or labor, which ye bestow upon your children, too highly honored, too gloriously blessed, too preciously invested, and better than any kingdom and empire is reckoned before God's eyes? On his knees should one carry such a penny to the end of the world, if he knew that he should there be so gloriously and dearly invested. And behold, thou hast it in thy house and in thy bosom, whereon thou canst so gloriously invest it." (See: Luther's Sermon, that one should keep the children at school.) Yes, dear parents, that I may speak once more with Luther, consider: "Father and mother can earn the kingdom of heaven by their children, and again the parents can not more easily earn hell than by their own children, in their own house, where they neglect them and do not teach (or let learn) the things, as has been said. What would it help, if they even fasted themselves to death, prayed, and did all works, and yet left undone on the way what is commanded them of God. God will not ask them about these things at the last day, but about the children whom He has commanded them." (Auslegung von 2 Mos. 20, 12.) "Where the devil is to receive a harm that shall truly bite, it must be done through the young folk, who grow up in the knowledge of God and spread God's Word and teach others. . . I esteem that among the outward sins the world before God is burdened by none so heavily, and deserves so dreadful a punishment, as by this very one which we do to the children, that we do not bring them up." (Luther's Schrift an die Rathsherrn aller Städte Deutschlands, daß sie christliche Schulen aufrichten und halten sollen.)

So may God grant that in a short time our dear Hübner be in the hands of the children of all German families of Lutheran faith here.

The little book is to be had in New York of Wm. Radde, 322 Broadway, and of H. Ludwig and Co., 70 Vesey Street, @ 25 Cts. Mr. Barthel here also expects a considerable supply of it in the next weeks; as soon as the books have arrived, notice of it shall be given in the "Lutheraner."

Also the Civil Communities are Communities of God.

"God standeth in the congregation of God, and is Judge among the gods." Psalm 82, 1.

Note that He calls all communities or orderly assembly "God's community," as those that are God's own and He takes them to Himself as His own work, even as He calls Nineveh also a "city of God," Jon. 1, 3. For He has created all communities and brings them also still together, nourishes, increases, blesses and preserves them, gives them fields, meadows, cattle, water, air, sun and moon, and all that they have, yea body and life, as 1 Mos. 1, 29. stands. For what have we and all the world that we do not receive of Him without ceasing? But although experience should teach us this, yet He must also say it with plain words and openly confess and glory that the communities are His. For the foolish clever reason, together with all the worldly-wise, knows quite and altogether nothing that a community is God's creature and ordinance, but thinks nothing else than that it happens by chance and clumsily so, that a people keeps together and dwells together, just as murderers, robbers, and other wicked bands (which are the devil's communities) throw themselves together to disturb peace and God's order. Only the believers, who know the article of the Creation from 1 Mos. 1., believe this, although also weakly, and many of them never think or speak thus of it. But David knows it right well, when he says in Psalm 24, 1. 2.: "The earth is the LORD's, and they that dwell therein; for He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods"; and his son Solomon in the 127th Psalm, verses 1. 2.: "Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." What should the worldly-wise know of heavenly things, who do not know this, wherein they live and move! — Luther on Psalm 82, 1.

The Growth of Sin.

A Parable of Luther.

Sin is like a man's beard:
Though it were shaved off today,
So that one is nicely smooth about the mouth,
He soon has bristles again.