# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1850 08 19_S205
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

205

progress of time been so miserably corrupted. The unhappy lot which since the beginning of the last century, and probably even earlier, has befallen all our beautiful church tunes, namely the removal of all difference in the duration of the notes, so that, for example, nothing but half notes were sung where, according to the original rhythm, half notes alternated with whole, quarter, and eighth notes in movement now slower, now quicker — this unhappy lot naturally befell also the tune: Wachet auf etc. Now the tune is indeed in itself so mighty and moving that it cannot deny itself even where its feet have been bound and lamed for a cheerful, joyous striding along, or better still, for the dance of joy of David (2 Sam. 6, 14.), and where the strange contrast of a laboriously dragging gait, against nature, has been forced upon its longing to hasten to meet the LORD; but how very differently would it be able to show its power, majesty, and lively freshness, if it were again sung according to its original rhythm. In the evangelical Monatsblatt für Westphalen of February 1845 it is said of this tune: "Its rhythmical structure has in the course of time become unrecognizable, and now lacks the majestic breadth and splendor with which the very beginning announces itself in its original form, and by which later the exclamations:

Wohlauf, der Bräut'gam kömmt,
Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt,
Hallelujah!
Macht euch bereit zu der Hochzeit,

distinguish themselves in the second part, where then the quicker and yet solemn progress of what follows gains a peculiar liveliness." Thereupon follows in the said paper a printing of the tune with its original rhythm, from the original in the Soest city library.

(To be continued.)

Christian August Hausen's,

City preacher in Dresden,

Opinion on the Conversion of the Heathen,

drawn from his Religionsprüfung etc. Anno 1723, edited cf. Pag. 337 — 397.

Of the Duty of Christians to convert the Heathen.

The question therefore arises first: Whether Christians should take care that the remaining heathen also be converted to Christianity? The following consideration lets us have no doubt of it. In the Old Testament God the LORD commands: That if one see his neighbor's ox or ass going astray, he shall bring the same again to his master. Ex. 23, 4. Therein is also contained the command that we much more should help to the right way erring fellow-men, such as the heathen are. In the New Testament our Savior says to Peter: When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren, Luke 22, 32. Paul exhorts all Christians: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, ye which are spiritual, Gal. 6, 1. James lets himself be heard: Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins, Jas. 5, 19. 20. Yea, we are also directed thereto in our Lord's Prayer: in it our Savior bids us pray: that God's name be hallowed, God's kingdom come, and God's will be done, Matt. 6, 9. 10. Thereby we are at the same time admonished to do our part also thereto, and to contribute, just as, when we ask for our daily bread, we understand of ourselves that we must also do the work thereto which is necessary. But by what can God's name be more hallowed, His kingdom's coming be furthered and spread abroad, His will be accomplished, than when we are concerned to make the name of God known also among the heathen, and strive toward this, that the spiritual kingdom of grace be set up among them, and the divine will, according to the revelation of grace that has taken place, be accomplished? Therein the believers of all times have gone before us with their praiseworthy example. Abraham taught his household, in which without doubt there were many heathen servants from among the Canaanites, the ways of the LORD, Gen. 18, 19. Jacob said to his household: Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments, Gen. 35, 2. Joseph instructed the princes in Egypt after his manner, and taught the elders wisdom (namely the heavenly), Ps. 105, 22. David says: I will teach transgressors Thy ways, that sinners may be converted unto Thee, Ps. 51, 15. Who will doubt that, since Solomon not only stood in good friendship with the king of Tyre, but also sent ships to Ophir, that is, into the heathen countries, he also at the same time will have brought thereby the knowledge of the true God among the heathen? Of Josiah Sirach reports: that he had great grace to convert the people, and to take away the abominations of idolatry, Sir. 49, 3. In the New Testament the Samaritan woman, when she had recognized Christ as the Messiah, also brought to Him her fellow-citizens at Sychar, John 4, 28 — 30. After our Savior had commanded His disciples to go forth into all the world and to teach all nations, Matt. 28, 19. 20. Mark 16, 15. 16. Acts 1, 8., they also did this most diligently, Rom. 10, 18. Col. 1, 23. Acts chap. 17.*), whom the holy Fathers of the Church of the first centuries followed, to whose beautiful writings against heathen idolatry and other abominations we owe it that in the time of Constantine the Great heathenism so fell, that Christian truth, in its place, was received almost in the whole world, and has filled it with its light. What shall we say of the praiseworthy Emperor Charles the Great? through whose diligence Christianity was brought into our Germany and into the northern realms, after whose example there were found also in following times both praiseworthy rulers and faithful teachers who showed praiseworthy diligence in this harvest, as one knows from church history through all the centuries, how the following conversions of the heathen were continued little by little. All this shows that true Christians should still now work together, that the fulness of the Gentiles may enter in more and more.

*) The readers of this paper are kindly requested to look up the Bible passages cited for themselves and to go through them carefully.

That it should be expected of each and every evangelical preacher to leave his congregation, and that they should be bound to journey to the heathen, cannot rightly be said. For even in the time of the apostles not all teachers betook themselves into foreign lands, but Paul commanded his Titus to ordain here and there in the churches of the island of Crete elders, who had their commanded official duties among the congregations entrusted to them, Tit. 1, 5. The office of the apostles, which was extraordinary, gives no conclusion that all must follow them; for if God wished that, He would also still impart to His Church the apostolic gifts, especially that of foreign tongues. Teachers and preachers now depend in their office upon the congregation and the government; where, then, there is a government which has no commerce into the lands beyond the sea, both they and their preachers are excused if, because of "lack of opportunity," they cannot further the conversion of the heathen. To such things also belong means; without feathers no one can fly. Meanwhile all pious hearts wish that, as among all, so also among evangelical potentates, means might be thought of which may come to the aid of the poor heathen in their blindness. Much good would be accomplished hereto if great lords, instead of spending so much upon unnecessary things, such as pleasures and needless pomp, would devote a part of their revenues to this, that such seminaries be established, in which young people who are fit for it should be instructed in the foreign languages of the nations. Yea, if one even let them fine metho-