# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 01 08_S78
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

78

with great audacity and rather confusedly written against me. It is said that a Protestant preacher in C. did it on commission from my enemies. But could a preacher write so brazenly and so confusedly? Now let the author, or the authors, of the said article be whoever they will, this much is certain, that they are Protestants who protest against the truth.

In the papers mentioned above it is said how a German Evangelical-Protestant congregation in and near Wapakonetta has, unhappily, an Old Lutheran for its pastor, whose name has escaped the reporter; who by his blind zeal for the cause of the Old Lutherans turns concord into discord, in that he wants to lead the congregation back to the standpoint of rigid Lutheranism, to which auricular confession also belongs, which he has already formally introduced. Those who did not wish to join in the church maneuvers he has put under the interdict and denied them the sacraments. Weak and dependent persons, who intend to remain forever children in understanding, make the game easy for such servants of darkness. The Father of Lights, the unknown writer goes on, may enlighten the congregation at which the said intruder is employed as preacher, that it may hold faithfully to the principles of the Evangelical-Protestant Church and, in keeping with its freedom, show the door to the wolf in sheep's clothing. It should not let itself be deceived by the halo in which its pious father-confessor certainly goes about. That this is often only the cloak of wickedness, the anonymous writer would show by the example of the chief of the Old Lutherans, namely Stephan. Then, in conclusion, he relates the history of the fallen Stephan.

When at the beginning I read that my name had escaped the "reporter," I wondered how that could possibly be, since it consists of only four letters. But I wondered no more about it when I found further on that it had also escaped the "reporter" that the Lutheran Church, or "Lutheranism," never had anything to do with "auricular confession." It is indeed greatly to be lamented that to the opponents of the truth no means is too bad, if only they can thereby cast suspicion upon the Church that rests upon it. If the "reporter" is a wholly ignorant man, he ought in fairness to hold his mouth until it should be made known to him what belongs to "Lutheranism," and he had at least read the twenty-fifth article of the Augsburg Confession, and not blaspheme where he knows nothing of it. But if he knows this article and lies knowingly against the truth in order to seduce others, then it stands only the more sadly with him; then he is indeed no longer a "child," but already a man — in malice. What he calls "auricular confession" is the regular announcement for the Holy Supper, which I have introduced in my congregations. This is indeed a thorn in the eye to those who will not let go their darling sins and yet would like to go to the Holy Supper, because one is just so accustomed to it. The "more discerning" have learned to see that, as they are, they cannot be admitted by me to the Table of the LORD; therefore they say they are "put under the interdict"; naturally innocently; for, as the "reporter" says, they indeed "worship God in spirit and in truth"; but that by this he does not understand a praying in faith is clear. He means, like the editor of the "protestantische Zeitblätter," the idol of the spirit of the age. The "reporter" talks very much, especially, to make it plain to the people how love is so wholly and entirely lacking in me. I should like to ask him: whether it is love and is called "toleration," to invent such things about a man whom one has perhaps never seen? to accuse him falsely of having "smuggled himself" into the congregation; yes, to call him an "intruder," a "blind zealot," a "wolf in sheep's clothing"? There one certainly seeks love in vain. It seems as though the "reporter," in writing these words, had himself thought that one might doubt his love of neighbor, of which he had just before taken his mouth so full; therefore he seeks, by the example of "the chief of the Old Lutherans," Stephan, to prove "that fanatical zeal of faith is often only the cloak of wickedness." Should the "reporter," who surely does not want to be the last of the "more discerning," not know that the eleven disciples of the LORD were without guilt if a Judas was found among them? We think every "thinking-believing Christian" ought to remember that. But he only wanted to reach his goal, namely only to say: behold, so are the Old Lutherans. Yet he has carried out his purpose badly. Hear how mightily he himself proves by the following that his proof against the Old Lutherans proves nothing. He has heard or read that the place where Stephan was set ashore in Illinois is called "Devil's Bake-oven"; about this he would now very gladly have said a few words more; but how could this be done otherwise than by relating the outcome of the affair? After he has therefore related how Stephan's sin became manifest, he goes on: "Thereupon he was deposed from his office at a meeting of the other gentlemen preachers of the settlement, then brought in a boat to the farther bank of the Mississippi and there left to his fate. Very significantly the place where he was set ashore is called 'Devil's Bake-oven'."

What does he say by this again but: that the Old Lutherans tolerate among them no one whose sin has become manifest to them and who will not repent, even if they had only shortly before "deified" him? The honored reader of the "Lutheraner" learns also from this sufficiently that the enemies of the truth, as wild waves of the sea, foam out only their own shame. "When they speak lies, they speak of their own." But, God be praised, that one can recognize them. Let us confidently sing with blessed Luther:

"Let them lie on, for all of that,
They have no pious man;
We should thank God for this thereat,
His Word is come again:
The summer is hard at the door,
The winter is gone by,
The tender blossoms spring forth;
He who this hath begun,
He will well bring to pass."

Paulus Heid.

We, the undersigned, declare herewith that our Pastor, Mr. P. Heid, 1. has not "smuggled himself" in among us, but has come to us in accordance with a regular call; 2. it is just as false when it is said that he has introduced "auricular confession"; 3. he "refuses" the Holy Supper only to those who show their unbelief by ungodly life, or by holding fast to ungodly doctrine, and will not repent. Those who call us "children in understanding" because we intend to hold fast to the Confession of our Church say also that we "hold on to the church property." But never yet has anyone sought to dispute their share with them, although it was just they who not only locked the church but even nailed it shut, and when the children of the congregation were to be confirmed could be moved to open the church only by the constable. Finally we thank the "more discerning" still for the exhortation "to use our freedom"; in accordance with which we remind them that they have not yet learned the eighth commandment.

Georg Koch.
Georg Hofmann.
Christian Häußler.
Friederich Hüdepohl.
Lorenz Sammetinger.
Church council of the German Ev. Lutheran St. John's Congregation near Wapakonetta, Auglaize Co., O.
December 17, 1849.

(Sent in by Pastor Schliepsiek.)

The Dedication of the Church at Centreville, St. Clair Co., Ill.

A glorious, joyful church dedication, which I recently attended in Centreville, prompts me to communicate to my friends and fellow ministers something about this festival. Very early (on Sunday, the 21st of October) I drove, together with my dear wife, with a dear Christian farmer family from my congregation, through woods and prairies to that little town. Already we saw cheerful guests hastening from all sides on wagons and horses. Brother Schieferdecker was, upon our arrival, already holding the general confession in the church with the communicants. His joy was very great when, after the confession was ended, he saw me in his house. He asked me forthwith to hold the afternoon