# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Dezember 1915_S544
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

544 Vermischtes.

werde Licht, und es ward Licht.“ Diese Sprache, gewaltig wie am
ersten Schöpfungstag, geht wie ein Strom durch „das Buch“; sie stößt
Gewaltige vom Stuhl und erhöht die Niedrigen. Wo ein Mensch neu
werden will, wird er es an dem „Buch“; und soll ein Volk neu wer⸗
den, braucht es „das Buch“. Nicht Krieg und Trübsal machen es neu;
sie sind ein Sturm, der zerbricht und manche an Gott irre werden läßt.
Wenn es aber „das Buch“ wieder fände, gewänne es Leben. Denn
im „Buche“ kommt Gott, der da spricht: „Es werde Licht!“ „Und es
ward Licht.“

Promissourisches Zeugnis ans dem Konzil. In einem Vortrag
vor der Toledo General Council Pastors“ Association erklärte P. W.
Brenner u. a., daß er nicht einverstanden sei mit dem, was D. L. Keyser
in seinem Buch Election and Conversion sage über man's fréee moral
agency“, über „the seeds of regencration“ in der Taufe und „poten-
tially regenerated children“. P. Brenner mißbilligt ferner die ver⸗
letzende persönliche Note, von der auch D. Keysers Buch nicht ganz
frei sei, und die offen zutage liege in D. Schüttes „Zeugnissen“ und
Prof. Fritschels „Zur Einigung“. Etliche Abschnitte aus P. Brenners
Arbeit mögen hier wörtlich Platz finden: What Dr. Keyser has written
on Conversion and also on Prayer, for instance, that grace puts man
in a neutral state, and then it is the function of the human will to
surrender to God's grace'; that there is a twilight stage'; that 'the
unregenerate can pray for pardon and salvation'; that man must be
willing to let God save him,' — has reéceived no criticism from the
men who have hailed with deélight the entrance of another valiant
champion of Biblical Truth' into the theological arena, but all seemed
pleased and wonderfully gratified to have found another true ally to
help fight their opponents, the Missourians“ To use Dr. Stellhorn's
own words: We welcome this very worthy addition to all that has
been said and written in defense of Lutheranism during the religious
war of more than thirty years.“ If man is saved by grace alone, it
is contradictory and inconsistent to talk of human activity, con-
currence, and cooperation' in conversion, as Dr. Keyser and his
allies so frequently do. But after all, Dr. Keyser does not believe
that it is right to accuse the St. Louis theologians of Calvinism.
He says: This book [Dr. Pieper's] ought from now on to preclude
the charge of COalvinism against Missouri.“ Dr. Keyser aims to be
fair, courteous, conciliatory, and kind towards all, but his attempts
to persuade Missouri to enter into fellowship on the basis of iusti-
fication by faith alone' and the offer of salvation to all, with liberty
on any peculiar view of election and conversion, to hoist the white
flag and declare peace' in disregard of conceded doctrinal disagree-
ments, will not succeed. Peculiar views' on any doctrine constitute
an effectual bar and hinderance, a serious difflculty and formidable
obstacle to Lutheran union in any genuine and worthy sense of that