# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 04 02_S126
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

126

ger, always to keep a cold heart. Bd. 3, No. 3. In an old German love letter, written in the year 1678, a kiss is called the fourth degree of love. Bd. 3, No. 5. A newspaper thinks the girls ought to make it a rule never to kiss a young man who chews tobacco. In the lifetime of every girl there are two very significant periods: one, when she thinks, "'Whom shall I have,'" and the other, when she wonders, "'Who will have me.'" And now, to crown it all, the shameful Turkish song, with the heading: Woman, Bd. 3, No. 6." But it is too disgusting to communicate anything from it.

Whoever defends these unchaste jests as childlike, innocent trifling proves by that very thing that he has an unclean heart, wholly ruled by the spirit of harlotry. The poison of sin in the pieces communicated is the more dangerous the more it is hidden under an apparently harmless form, calculated precisely to excite evil lust and fan it into a bright flame. Does His Reverence, Pastor Brobst, not know the sixth commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery? Does he not know, as a pastor he should in fairness know it, that it says in the explanation: We should fear and love God, that we may lead a chaste and decent life in words and deeds? Mr. Brobst boasts that he reads much in the Bible; has he never read Eph. 5, 3. 4.: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks? Does he not know Phil. 4, 8.: Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things? Does he not know the holy command which God gives through his apostle to every preacher: Keep thyself pure? 1 Tim. 5, 22.

Were Mr. Brobst, as he pretends, a true friend of youth, he would make it his task to hold before the children and impress upon them, in particular the sixth commandment, with hearty, fatherly earnestness, again and again, now by teaching and admonition, now by warning and examples. To this end he would first study this commandment himself under prayer, carefully collect, compare and consider all the passages of Holy Scripture bearing upon it, and let himself be vividly penetrated by the awe of the divine holiness. Then he would recognize that God in this commandment demands of us perfect chastity and purity of heart, as the words of the LORD especially show: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart, Matth. 5, 28. Thereby he would let himself be led to a serious and sincere repentance, and in faith in the LORD JESUS Christ seek forgiveness of sins and a clean heart. And when he sees how even the man after God's own heart, King David, could fall into sins against the sixth commandment, he would learn to watch and pray, to flee all temptations, and to implore with David: Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me, Ps. 51, 12. So he would at last be ashamed to go on telling filthy jests and thereby poisoning the poor hearts of children; instead of that he would take Job for his example and say with him, Job 31, 1.: I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? yea, it would be his delight to fire the children faithfully to imitate the holy Joseph, who so knightly withstood the temptation with the words: "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Gen. 39, 9., who let himself rather be thrown into prison, and would rather have endured the most agonizing death, than transgress this commandment even with a single word. At the same time he would point to the dreadful temporal and eternal punishments with which God visits the transgressors of the sixth commandment, as also to the blessed reward of the chaste struggle. What a blessing Mr. Brobst could bring about in this way, if he thus really fed the lambs of Christ with the Word of God!

But if Pastor Brobst wishes to go on seasoning his paper with shameful witticisms, then you might well greet him, dear Christian, and tell him that he should at least no longer seduce the youth under the appearance of the Christian name. Therefore let him take down from his paper the Christian sign with the words: Holy bible and the inscription: Feed my lambs; and let him also no longer use therein the name of our dear God, for God's holy Word and name would have nothing to do with his paper. He could easily make himself another heading out of "Raptures of the Heart," "Courage of Virtue," or out of the "All-Spirit," or also out of "wholesome Allentown fruit"; the last, namely, is surely quite popular, so that every child can understand it, and for that his friends would then also praise him again.

Ah, what a heavy account those must give who incite poor children to sin with frivolous words! What a solemn word of our Savior: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea, Matth. 18, 6. May Mr. Brobst consider this, go into himself and repent, that this word may not one day strike him.

The "Jugendfreund" was sent to me without my asking or desiring, and constantly calls upon its readers to spread it as widely as possible. This courtesy seemed to me worth a service in return. I therefore tried to illumine it with God's Word, and this illumination I send to you, my dearest Christian, that you may know what you are to think of it. Moreover, I shall send the "Jugendfreund" its money as soon as possible, which it probably has chiefly in view. For us, however, with regard to that sanctimonious, unchaste paper, the word of the LORD holds: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, Matth. 7, 15., and: Neither be partaker of other men's sins, 1 Tim. 5, 22. Therefore it is our duty to warn Christian parents and Christian children against it.

How are you, dear Christian? Write to me soon. God bless us! All greet you.

Your
Hermann Fick.

Neu-Melle, Mo., the 20th of February 1850.

(Communicated.)

I herewith communicate the following, in accordance with the truth, to my friends, especially to my dear brethren in office, and to all to whom the difficulties of my earlier ministry are known. I, the undersigned, on the recommendation of the Rev. P. Moritz of Iowa, joined the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Indiana as a student of theology in the year 1844. In the year 1846 I was licensed, but was not permitted to dispense the Holy Supper nor to perform marriages. In the following year I was called as pastor by the Schleifers Church, Clinton Co., Indiana, by the Zion's Church, Tippecanoe Co., Ind., and by the St. George's Church, Shelby Co., Ind. But since the officers of the Synod, namely: E. Rudisill, S. Good and E. Morkert, denied the immortality of the souls of the damned, their resurrection, a last judgment and eternal damnation, I opposed them publicly, with the Bible and the Book of Concord in my hand. This testimony had the consequence with the said gentlemen that not only was the urgent request of the congregations not heeded, but they also persecuted me, and disturbed me in public divine service, and, in order to keep my congregations also in dependence, let me languish under their restrictive license, although the congregations desired none of the said preachers on account of their false doctrine, as appeared at the election before the Synod in 1847. When now the congregations renewed their request, I was solemnly ordained, according to the doctrine of the Book of Concord and the constitution of the Synod, by the Pastors Abraham and David Müller, both members of the Synod, on the 10th of December 1847. As proof of the validity of my vocation I will cite a passage from the Book of Concord; Smalcald Articles, entitled: "Of Ordination and Vocation." Nürnberg edition 1847. Page 348: "If the bishops would be true bishops, and would take up the cause of the churches and the Gospel, it might be granted them, for the sake of love and unity, yet not out of necessity, that they ordain and confirm us and our preachers, yet at the end of it-"