# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 01 22_S86
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

86

more to the Lutheran Church than the doctrine of these teachers.

We confess ourselves to the Evangelical Lutheran Church:

2) Because I know from its confessions and its history that it has not wantonly torn itself away from the Church as it was before Luther, that it did not wish to set up something new, never before in existence,

That it wished only to cleanse that which is truly old, truly apostolic and truly universal in the true Church from the unfitting additions of earlier centuries;

That it joined itself to the witnesses of the truth in all centuries before it, above all to the testimony of the holy apostles.

Therefore it is also not merely three centuries old, but it is the continuation of the true apostolic, truly universal Church of former times, and therefore older than any other church fellowship that is now upon earth. Founded upon the ancient truth, it is itself ancient, with unadulterated Word and Sacrament — and for this reason also I confess myself to it.

We confess ourselves to the Evangelical Lutheran Church:

3) Because great steadfastness and at the same time great capacity for development is granted to it. From apostolic commandments, as from apostolic doctrines, it never departs: the apostolic Word remains its immovable foundation for all times. Therein rest its steadfastness and its unity with all the children of God in all lands and times. But if it finds anything else in former times that is praiseworthy and beautiful, that it may choose according to its liberty; if it finds in the present or in future time anything that can serve the Church and further its children, it chooses that also in liberty, and thus advances with the times in a quiet conscience. In particular its manner of action, apostolic in its liberty, remains lovely and venerable. Where times and circumstances permit, it returns with thanks and joy to this manner of action; if that cannot be done, it knows that it walks in misery and goes in the vale of tears, and that the Church is nevertheless the Church, even when it is not permitted to return to the best practice. — Steadfast, aspiring, pliant — these are qualities which no other church has in this measure and in this manner, — qualities which must secure a future for the Lutheran Church even in the judgment of those who do not believe that it has the promise of not being overcome by the gates of hell.

We confess ourselves to the Evangelical Lutheran Church:

4) Because it is so united and in its unity so recognizable.

Only he who is united inwardly, in spirit, is truly united.

To be united in spirit means to be united in thoughts and in principles.

The unity of the Evangelical Lutheran Church is in heavenly thoughts, its action is according to heavenly principles. Heavenly thoughts are God's revealed words, heavenly principles are divine commandments. In these it is united.

In one and the same manner it understands them — and its confession brings to light its understanding of heavenly thoughts and principles.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church knows no ambiguity of any kind. Only those who agree with it in their confessions are its own. It insists upon the deepest, innermost unity of souls, and does not desire that its number before the world should be greater than it is before God. Who should not see that this is an excellence?

And is that wherein it is united not recognizable? Does one perhaps not know what is to be understood by "confessions" in its sense? There is no united Reformed church, as there is no single generally valid Reformed confession. So many lands, so many confessions, it is said among the Reformed. Can one say the like of the Evangelical Lutheran Christians? Certainly not! Wherein they wish to be united, that is known. They have generally accepted and valid confessions. Their camps are recognizable everywhere by the banner.

Perhaps thou speakest of such as are not Evangelical Lutheran, and seekest thereby to destroy the glory of the unity of our Church? Then indeed thou wouldst thyself be no loyal member of the Church, — and very sensible thou wouldst not be either. Such as are not Lutheran are simply not Evangelical Lutheran Christians. The tares in the wheat-field are not wheat, but tares, as every field has them.

We confess ourselves to the Lutheran Church:

5) Because it has become a blessing to all the church communions among which it lived.

Thick books could be written about the influence which the holy doctrine of our Church has exerted on all sides. The most recent time would by no means furnish the fewest proofs of it. In the knowledge of this I rejoice all the more to belong to this Church.

We confess ourselves to it:

6) For the sake of the power by virtue of which it raises itself out of the dust everywhere in spite of unfavorable circumstances. How long is it now since men no longer say that it is all over with it, that is, with its appearance and its existence in the world?*) Ten or fifteen years ago one who spoke of a serious return to the faith of the fathers was regarded as a monstrosity and a prodigy. That has become remarkably different. From the high North up to the Alps, from the wide East of the Russian Baltic provinces to the wide West of North America, the witnesses of the Church stand — and that not singly, but near enough to hear one another's call, and many of the people also listen to their call.

*) "With the Evangelical Lutheran Church it is at the last chapter of Matthew," said a Jesuit; he apparently did not think that there the LORD says: I am with you alway — all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Who has awakened these witnesses, and who has given them the people who confess the old faith with them? Who gives them the victory in a world to which nothing seemed and seems more repugnant, more intolerable and impossible than precisely the witnesses of this Church? Whence the power for victory? It is the LORD's power. Here is Immanuel, that is, God with us! And for that reason we confess ourselves to this Church.

Let the name "Lutheran" sink! The Church which is hidden under this name will remain! Its mission, the Evangelical Lutheran mission, will flourish. It itself will be born anew and will no longer, as formerly, neglect its form and appearance. The LORD will give it victory and set it for a blessing to all nations!

So I think, so I hope; what thinkest thou, my reader? I wished to say this to thee in this first number by way of introduction. More and other things another time.

"Der Zuschauer am Potomac".

Complaint has already repeatedly come to our ears that Christian pastors, when their hearers ask them to recommend a political newspaper, are put in perplexity, since in particular the German papers published here are, almost without exception, edited by men who are avowed enemies of the Christian faith and who cannot refrain from pouring out continually their blasphemous mockery of it. It gives us particular pleasure to be able hereby to announce to our readers that on the 10th of this month the first number appeared of a political paper under the title given in the heading, which meets the need long felt by Christians of having a reporter on the events of the time to whom one can listen quietly without being disturbed by the ridiculing of what is holy. The "Zuschauer am Potomac" is namely edited by Professor Mr. F. Schmidt, already known to most readers of the "Lutheraner," whose name is sufficient assurance that the paper will be inferior to none in solidity and will moreover have the great advantage of paying homage to the principle: Sancta sancte! (What is holy is also to be treated with a holy mind!) The paper will, moreover, not have a merely local character; the editor intends to secure it a wide circulation throughout the whole Union and Germany. From now on it appears every Thursday at the yearly subscription price of two dollars and fifty