# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 02 05_S94
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94

meanwhile, how they might hold out, that if the upright, God-fearing preachers had died out and godless teachers had come again into their place, the Pope could then rule and reign again, and Christ be utterly destroyed. Therefore enter into no compromise. When I was at Worms at the Diet before the Emperor, they also wanted me to make better unity. Then I said, well then, I am content, only let God's Word remain free to me. "Ah," they said, "that is an unrhymed thing." Yes, rhyme... — If it concerned land and people, one could mediate, reconcile, make peace and unity; but here they are coarse asses; they think the matter is a worldly matter. But no, it is far missed; you cannot come either to God or to eternal life unless you hear God alone and His Word. The first commandment casts away all heresy on earth, for idolatry makes and adorns itself a fine little covering, and thinks: Ah, this will please God. But see to it, make no peace apart from the divine Word. If God's Word is not there, then shut your eyes and say: here is no unity or agreement; there are indeed people of high understanding, well read in the Holy Scripture, in the Latin tongue, and in the histories, but nevertheless they are such great fools that they cannot distinguish Christ and the devil, among eternal and temporal things. For in temporal matters one can give way.., reconcile and yield, but not so in eternal matters. There it will not do, or one is lost. For unity cannot be divided. Therefore say: We will do whatever we are only bound to do, though it concern body and life, only that it be not against God. For that is not ours, therefore it can neither be sold nor given away; therefore we must leave it to our Lord God alone. (From: Dr. Martin Luthers ungedruckte Predigten. From the manuscripts of the ducal library at Wolfenbüttel, edited by Dr. W. Horck. Berlin, 1847. I, 461 ff. from the year 1539.)

Extract from the Minutes of the Preachers' Conference of the Lancaster District, held at Lancaster, O., on the 30th of September, the 1st and 2nd of October 1849.

Present were the Pastors F. W. Richmann, J. Seidel, P. Baumgart, and L. W. Habel.

Mr. P. Seidel was chosen as president; L. Habel as secretary; and there were then first taken into consideration the proposals of Messrs. Ernst and Seidel, whereupon the following resolutions were passed:

1. That we prepare a record-book, which

a) a constitution of our Conference;

b) a list of the members belonging to the same;

c) the annual proceedings and other important occurrences relating to the members of our Conference or also in their congregations, —

shall contain.

2. That we request the Fort Wayne Conference to erect a stone upon the grave of the blessed Brother Burger (which is located there), and that the secretary be charged to write to the same, and at the same time to declare to it our readiness to assist in the carrying out of this plan.

Thereupon the following questions were discussed:

1) How are those to be dealt with who, from levity or malice, avoid the divine services for a longer time or for good, without, however, going over to another congregation?

2) How are self-righteous persons and mouth-Christians to be dealt with at sick-beds and death-beds?

Answered:

ad 1. That such members of the congregation are to be put under church discipline according to Matth. 18, 15—18. Yet there are not to be understood under "the light-minded or malicious" such as feel scruples of conscience about a matter indifferent in itself; such are rather to be instructed and borne with as weak ones with Christian patience, so long as they do not seek to force their opinion upon others as an article of faith, or reveal by joining themselves to the false-believing of what spirit they are children.

ad 2. That with regard to the self-righteous it is best, if one knows their conduct more closely, to set before them without reserve the sins which one knows of them, in order that they may be brought away from the delusion that they had always been virtuous people, and brought to a knowledge of their damnableness. With the others, whose manner of life one does not know more closely, one would indeed have to be content to apply the Law in general.

In connection with this the sad experience was communicated, that such persons on their sick-beds often fall asleep when one speaks with them of sin and grace, while they nevertheless remain wide awake at worldly conversation. Many are now indeed of the opinion that this is a weakness in the sick, which must be excused; but we think that it is of the devil, who thus at the very last seeks to snatch the word of life from the poor soul. In this opinion we were further strengthened by the experience that upon earnest prayer to God for the averting of the craft and power of Satan the sick had been able to remain awake.

As regards the mouth-Christians, they are the hardest to deal with; one can get at them very little, because they give the Word of God its due in all particulars. All that one is able to do is to point them earnestly to this, that not the mere Lord-Lord-sayers, but only those could rejoice in the blessedness of heaven to whom JEsus had become their one and their all. One should also earnestly ask them upon their conscience why they comfort themselves with the Savior? whether their faith does not rest upon a false foundation? etc.

Concerning these persons also experiences were communicated, and we held it not useless to remark thus much here, that one of the brethren had come to know people who in their days of health had the Savior's name often in their mouths, but on their death-bed did not know Him at all. Had the sickness of these people been of such a kind that they were not in possession of their senses, then one might excuse the circumstance mentioned; but they were rational in every respect, and so we think indeed that this is a testimony that dead head- and mouth-faith forsakes its servants in the hour of death, since even the sorely tempted man at least knows so much in his suffering "that and who JEsus is." Would that therefore each one in days of health might concern himself about the faith which can afford him comfort and rest even in the last hour!

3) Concerning a third question, relating to the burial of such as have belonged to a false-believing church or to no church at all, reference was made to the opinion found in the II. Syn. Ber. p. 22.

4) May one in the distress of death baptize an adult to whom no thorough instruction in the doctrine of salvation has yet been given?

Answer: Yes, if he acknowledges himself a sinner and at least knows who JEsus is and what He has done for us, and also declares that through Him alone he hopes for forgiveness of his sins, life, and salvation, and therefore wishes to give himself to Him as His own possession.

5) Whether one may in the distress of death give the holy Supper to a person who in his childhood was indeed baptized, but not confirmed?

Answer: Yes, if he is in a condition to examine himself according to the Word of God, acknowledges his sins, and accepts Christ as his only Savior, if one can otherwise perceive no signs of an impenitent heart in him, and he also has the right knowledge concerning the holy Sacrament itself.

6) It was resolved that we will admonish our congregations with all earnestness not to neglect the prayer for the Church in their homes,

since we believe that the present afflictions of our Church, the want of laborers in the same, etc., are visitations of God, which He lays upon it on account of our lukewarmness in prayer.

7) It was asked: under what circumstances may a preacher renounce the preaching office?

Answer: 1) when he becomes bodily unfit for the administration of the same; 2) when his conscience does not agree with the doctrine of the Church.

8) How is a pastor to proceed when the congregation will not take part in the liturgical divine service?