# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 04 30_S143
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

143

in which, to be sure, not all the ten points desired by us were asked for, but yet the two chief points: 1) the obligation of all ordinands to the symbolical books with quia, and 2) the excommunication of the Friends of Light, were to be emphasized. Löhe declared himself the more content with this, as it had quite the appearance that the Erlangen faculty had indeed taken our party's side with its whole heart, seeing that even Prof. Höfling, who had conducted himself more than ambiguously at the General Synod, declared that he saw how wrongly he had acted therein, and would also give this declaration publicly in the Erlangen periodical. All this Löhe reported to us in our second meeting, full of hope that it might now yet turn out well without a withdrawal — and so they resolved to remain in the State Church for the present. But — — —*). Whether now the Consistory will do anything upon the rather lukewarm petition of the faculty remains to be seen; hitherto very little has been done in respect to the German-Catholic congregations and free congregations. What will become of us I cannot therefore say as yet; but a withdrawal will hardly come about, since on the one hand the Prussian Lutherans strongly advise against it, and on the other hand the revolution in Germany is still far from ended, and therefore the cause of the Church may very easily receive a new turn from some quarter, for example from the Diet. — —

*) This „but“ cannot be carried out, because it is the express wish of the correspondent that no public use be made of it. The whole sense of what yet belongs to the „but“ is briefly this: Put not your trust in men.

(Conclusion to follow.)

(Sent in.)
Baptism Is the Washing of Regeneration.

In No. 7 of the „Apologet“ the following words against the preachers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church are put into the mouth of Doctor Luther: „You build upon Baptism as though it were the true regeneration and surety of your salvation. Thus have I never in my life taught concerning it, as my writings testify.“

This is a thoroughly false accusation. We do not say: Baptism is the true regeneration, but we confess according to the Word of God that Baptism is the washing of the true regeneration, the means whereby the Holy Ghost works the true regeneration in all who do not wantonly resist Him. This Luther teaches in all his writings. Thus he says in a sermon on Baptism: „It is ordained to this end, that it should serve us and give, not something bodily and perishable, but eternal grace, purity or holiness, and eternal life. That it is rightly called ‚a washing of the new birth‘, and the true bath of youth, that whoever bathes therein becomes young and newly born: not, as before, out of the mother's womb, which is the old birth; but out of sins into righteousness, out of guilt and condemnation into innocence and grace, out of death into eternal life.“ Erl. A., Vol. 16, p. 67.

We also believe with Luther that in holy Baptism we receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 2, 38), who regenerates us anew (Tit. 3, 5), awakens our souls to faith, whereby we put on Christ (Gal. 3, 27), and appropriate to ourselves all that Christ has obtained for us by His life, suffering and resurrection, namely forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. With right, therefore, Luther says of the glory of Baptism that it is „so full of comfort and grace that heaven and earth cannot comprehend it.“ With right he testifies: „Therefore we must be watchful and equipped, and not let ourselves be turned or driven away from the Word, so that we do not let Baptism be a mere empty sign, as the fanatics dream.“ (Large Catechism.) Likewise he says on John 3, 5: „Where now are the blasphemous sects and fanatics, who can do nothing more than cry out and boast of the Spirit? But it is the evil spirit, the Devil himself, who has possessed them bodily, because they have rejected Baptism, Sacrament, Word, which Christ Himself has dearly obtained for us, as needless, useless things for salvation. God punish the spirit of blasphemy. But Christ does not so teach here, but points us to holy Baptism and to the rushing [of the wind], that is, to the Word; and warns that if we do not let ourselves be satisfied with the water and the rushing, we shall retain nothing at all of the Holy Ghost and shall never come to the new birth. Therefore let us commend to ourselves our Baptism and the Word as our highest treasure, since we know for certain, if we abide therein, that we are born again unto the kingdom of God.“ (Erl. A. Vol. 4, p. 160.)
H. F.

Church Notice.

To all friends of our Zion here be it herewith for glad tidings that our dear Wyneken at last, on the 16th inst., with his beloved family, by God's help has happily arrived in St. Louis. As sincere as was the grief with which his congregation in Baltimore dismissed him, moved thereto solely by plain indications that the LORD of the Church so willed it, so great was our joy, the joy of the German Lutheran congregation here with its pastors, to see our long-desired new pastor at last step into our midst. To be sure, Pastor Wyneken was prevented by bodily indisposition from preaching his inaugural sermon at once on the next following Sunday, but God soon strengthened him again, so that on last Sunday Cantate he was able, both in the morning in Trinity Church (which is that of his pastoral district) and in the afternoon in Immanuel Church, to speak for the first time to us, the congregation now entrusted to his pastoral care, the Word that makes blessed.

All correspondents of the aforementioned will therefore from now on address their written communications hither to St. Louis.

Karl von Raumer's Judgment on Luther.

Whom should it not delight, writes Raumer in his History of Pedagogy, to become acquainted with the great man also as a reformer of the German system of education? His exhortations went to the hearts of countless Germans, awakened sleeping consciences and strengthened weary hands; his judgments counted with princes and peoples as the voice of God. He deserved such confidence indeed in fullest measure, because to himself in fullest measure was given the faith which is active in love. What could not such a God-mighty, indefatigable love accomplish with such great gifts: with so clear a vision, so sound a common sense, so fine a feeling for language, such creative power of speech, such mastery of poetry, so profound speculation? Who among his contemporaries could measure himself with Luther in genuine, comprehensive culture? Only let one not measure culture by the standard of a Latin schoolpedant, nor by that of a Mephistophelean pseudo-genius; the talk is of great gifts of mind which serve a resolute ruling will, made free by the Son and sanctified, a will which governs itself because it desires to serve God only and for God's sake.

A Living Knowledge of Christ Makes Zealous to Bring Others Also to This Grace.

When a Christian begins to know Christ as his LORD and Savior, by whom he is redeemed from death and brought into His dominion and inheritance, his heart is wholly deified, so that he would gladly help every man also to this. For he has no higher joy than in this treasure, that he knows Christ. Therefore he comes forth, teaches and admonishes the others, praises and confesses the same before every man, prays and sighs that they also might come to such grace. This is a restless spirit in the highest rest, that is, in God's grace and peace, so that he cannot be still nor idle, but ever strives and strains thereafter with all his powers, as one who lives for this alone, that he may carry God's honor and praise farther among the people, that others also may receive such a spirit of grace.
Luther on John 14, 13.

When My Sins Grieve Me.

In the year 1785 there died in Berlin a youth of sixteen years. He was a wild shoot, and had already from his sixth year, in school, let himself be led by wicked children into many sins. All paternal and maternal admonitions, warnings, rewards and punishments had remained fruitless with him. As his years increased his sins also increased. Lies and unrighteousness plunged him in his fourteenth year into still greater sins. He had the greatest aversion to the divine Word; and notwithstanding the good examples which he saw in his father's house