# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1849 08 21_S205
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

205

and wine in the Lord's Supper, believes and confesses it, yet does not kneel before the consecrated elements and worship them, because, namely, as our Small Catechism teaches, the body and blood of Christ under the bread and wine were instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink (and not to carry about, to worship, etc.). Then the conversation reported would most probably appear to him in a different light. For in truth it requires no great degree of impartiality to discover that the Old Lutheran meant to make a little sport of him, since he not only gave himself out as a Lutheran, but also sets himself up as a champion of their precious truths, without even knowing the Lutheran doctrine, let alone confessing it and believing it from the heart, as every true Old Lutheran does.

If, moreover, Mr. Weyl, who has by now been branded so often, wishes to continue with his scandalous stories about Old Lutherans, let him expect from us no other reply than that already given him repeatedly, namely, that he stands as a wretched slanderer so long as he does not come forward with convincing facts, with reasons and proofs from the Scriptures and our Symbols, or, if he cannot do this, as he knows full well, retracts his lying insinuations and his malicious aspersion of our good cause, and rather returns penitently to the precious faith and confession of his Church, instead of presuming, under her own name, to be her contemptible enemy! — A. C.

Report of Current Affairs.

The political events have hitherto been of such a kind that they led one to expect ever more important and decisive ones. For this reason we have let these reports lie over for some time, so as not always to have to report things half-finished. A decisive turn has at least occurred in Germany. The Frankfurt Imperial Diet has dissolved itself as a result of the recall of the deputies of the larger German states; the moderate part submitted to the necessity; only a small remnant, consisting of about a hundred members of the democratic party, resisted, removed to Stuttgart and played there for a short time the ridiculous role of a sovereign assembly prescribing laws for all Germany, until, driven apart by force by Württemberg troops, it was scattered to all four winds. The Imperial Regent has also left Frankfurt, perhaps never to return; for what should he do there henceforth? The King of Prussia has now proposed a German imperial constitution of his own, and intends to place himself at the head of a German confederation, if only the jealousy of Austria, which has allies in Bavaria and Württemberg, will allow it to come to that. Moreover, he is most zealously endeavoring, by suppressing the republican uprisings here and there, to restore peace and order and thereby to earn the thanks of the lesser princes. After Prussian soldiers had quelled the uprising in Dresden, a considerable Prussian army marched into Baden and defeated the insurgents, in which work it was, at the departure of the last news, finished except for the capture of the fortress of Rastatt. Thus an interregnum (period between reigns) has now set in; the so-called Central Power, recently created, has completed its inglorious career; the old German Confederation, existing since 1815, is in fact dissolved. What now may have been resolved in the council of the high watchmen over Germany? Who does not wish his brethren according to the flesh peace, order and prosperity, but still much more a return from the broken cisterns to the living fountain which they have forsaken? — In Leipzig a society is endeavoring to spread among the German people, by a new printing, such writings of Luther as suit the times.

In Hungary it has not yet come to a decisive battle, and the repeated rumors of tremendous victories of the Hungarians over the Russians have not been confirmed; nevertheless the former still maintain the advantages they won earlier. So long as the Hungarians are not wholly subdued, so long, to be sure, the thrones are not yet secure. A victorious advance of the same would suddenly give all Germany, perhaps Europe, a different aspect. It would not be incredible that the Hungarians should defy the united power of Russia and Austria. Something similar happened formerly with the Hussites. And who knows whether the Hungarians have not been chosen by God as a scourge against the Austrian imperial house, laden with many blood-guiltinesses?

Rome fell at the beginning of July, after a lengthy bombardment and not without streams of blood, into the hands of the French. The victors, however, seem to be in no small embarrassment as to what they shall do with their prey. The Pope has not yet returned, although the French have sent him the keys of the city. —

"Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth." Eccl. 11, 9.

Concerning this Luther writes: "That is, if God gives thee joy, then use it; if He sends thee tribulation, be not afraid, despair not. Thus should one instruct young people from their youth up: and such young men as follow not this exhortation, of them will come no upright man. For young people are hot in the head, and are as yet inexperienced in many things, therefore they cannot yield, or bear the great wickedness and ingratitude of the world. Therefore Solomon is a right royal schoolmaster. He forbids not the young to be among people, or to be merry, as the monks do with their pupils; for there come of them mere sticks and blocks, as also the mother of all monks, Anselm, has said: A young person, so cooped up, and drawn away from people, is like planting a fine young tree, that might bear fruit, in a narrow pot. For thus have the monks imprisoned their youth, as one puts birds in a cage, so that they must not see nor hear the people, and dared speak with no one. But it is dangerous for the young to be thus alone, thus wholly separated from people.

Therefore one should let young people hear and see, and learn all manner of things; yet so that they be kept in discipline and honor. Nothing is accomplished with such monkish constraint. It is good that a young person be much among people; yet so that he be honestly trained to uprightness and virtue, and be kept from vices. For young people such tyrannical monkish constraint is altogether harmful, and joy and recreation are as needful to them as eating and drinking; for they also remain the sooner in health.

So one should take chief pains with a person that he fear God and know God's Word, hear and learn it, and become of an honorable disposition: if he is godly and pious in heart, the body is soon trained accordingly. Therefore one must also give heed to this, that he be not trained monkishly, and brought up too melancholy, according as his nature and temperament is; only that one take good heed that he fall not into a wild way of life and rascality. For carousing, gaming, wantonness are not the joy of heart of which he here speaks, but often bring sadness.

Capital Punishment.

Louis XI, King of France, once expressed himself with great indignation in company over the fact that a malefactor had now already committed the third murder. His court jester, who heard this, replied: "This man has himself committed only the first murder; the second and third thou hast committed, O King! For hadst thou not pardoned him after the first murder, he could not have committed the others." Here the proverb applied: Children and fools speak the truth.

Report of Pastor Kuhl on the So-called Old Lutherans in the West.

In the Weyl'sche Kirchenbote, No. 16 of the current year, a certain Mr. Kuhl, a pupil of the Gettysburg Seminary, since last autumn pastor of a congregation in Quincy, Illinois, recently joined with the General Synod, submits a report on the churchly conditions of the West. On this occasion the said reporter also touches upon the so-called Old Lutherans here. Of these he reports the following:

"As for the Old Lutherans, who are rather numerous