Der Lutheraner St. Louis, Missouri — 23. April 1918, Seite 143

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Mer „Tutheranevss

143

and unobtrusively lives for its purpose, that of providing
its subscribers with instruetion, admonition, and solace from
the Word of God and the doctrines of Luther.

Referring back to the eircular which we printed in our
last issue, page 131, we beg leave to add aà remark from a reli-
gious point of view. There is now much talk of loyalty, and
our members are properly admonished to display their loyalty
towards their country and their Government. Loyalty is
largely manifested in deeds. And the members of our de-
nomination, as citizens of this country, are very properly
taking part in these deeds of loyalty. They have furnished
tens of thousands of men for the army and navy of our
country. They have bought Liberty Bonds, War Savings
Certificates, and Thrift Stamps. They are supporting the
noble activity of the Red Cross organization, and are con-
tributing their work in manifold ways to supply relief against
the calamities which follow in the wake of war, to heal the
wounded and nurse the sick; they display our country's flag,
they sing patriotic songs, they pay income taxes, and all this
they do to satisfy their sense of duty; in many instances —
we are justified in making this assertion — they are doing
relatively more than others. All these, however, are outward
deeds, and hypocrites might do as much. Our Lutheran mem-
bers, however, have learned from the Scripture an additional
and a higher lesson, vi., that they inust obey law and order
not only as à matter of necessity, but in obedience to the Word
of 60od and for conscience' sake, providing the Government
requires nothing at variance with the Word of God and
against their conscience. (Rom. 13, 1—7; 1 Pet. 2, 12—14;
Titus 3, 1.) Now, then, when our Government, as at present,
is issuing à new series of Liberty Bonds, and is asking all
citizens to take part in this loan, our members are to render
full obedience, exactly as they are doing by sending their sons
to war and paying their income taxes. And if our Government
in this matter appeals to our congregations as incorporated
bodies and asks them, as corporations enjoying the protection
of our Government, to take part in the campaign, our con-
gregations may render such assistance without fearing that
they are commingling Church and State, and our pastors may
readily, in a proper manner, make the announcements required,
and render the desired reports to the Government, either per-
sonally or through such deputies as they may appoint; indeed,
wWFe ask them to do it, lest tliey be suspécted of disloyalty.

Furthermore, our members have the sacred duty con-
Seientiously to do that for which they pray every Sunday in
the regular supplication for the Government, vis., to lead
a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. In these
days of exeitement, when enthusiasm and fanaticism may
easily arouse the passions, let us be particularly careful of
what we say. Let us faithfully perform the toil of our daily
task, and let us continue in prayer to our Lord and God,
in whose hands we are; the hearts of men are in the Lord's
hand as the rivers of water; He turneth them whithersoever
He will. And vhen, in spite of all, suspicion and persecu-
tion be our lot, let us ery to God the more insistently, but let
us also learn to suffer, and let it be our chief concern that
We be found faithful. Our Church has hitherto enjoved pros-
perity under the precious institution of democracy in our
country; it has handsomely grown and expanded. But let

us not forget that times of trial and distress may become,
under God's direction, veritable times of blessing, as has been
shown répeatedly by the history of the Church at large and
our Church in particular. Times of tribulation purify and
refine. Adversity prompts us to search the Word of God
more diligently. Let us do our duty, and let us take all the
proper steps néecessary to maintain our church and school
and the democratie institutions of our country. If need be.,
let us appcal to our Government for protection, but, above
all, let us offer up fervent prayer in the words of the old
prayer-chymn, which dates its origin b back to the perilous times
of four centuries ago: —

In these our days so perilous,

Lord, peace in mercy send us:

None else nan Thou can fight for us,
None else than Thou defend us,

Our only God and Savior.

Grant to our land, all in authority,
Peace and good government,
That under their administration we may lend
a Christian, peaceable life
In unfeigned godliness and pure doctrine.
Amen.
L. FuERBRIINGER.

—

Zur Kriegslage.

Ein Synodalbrief unsers Präses an unsere Gemeinden und Pastoren.

Der letzte „Lutheraner“ hat ein Rundschreiben der Regie⸗
rung bekanntgegeben, in welchem alle Organisationen, Klubs,
Vereine und Kirchen ersucht werden, sich an der neuen Kriegs-
anleihe (Läberty Loan) zu beteiligen. Nun erwartet nicht nur
die Regierung, daß über den Erfolg berichtet wird, sondern
auch die Bürger im ganzen Lande beobachten sich und die ein⸗
zelnen Organisationen gegenseitig, um in Erfahrung zu bringen,
wie weit man sich an dieser Anleihe, an dem Roten Kreuz und
dergleichen beteiligt. Zumal auch seitens unserer Pastoren er—
wartet man fleißige Betätigung. In manchen Staaten wird
einem jeden Bürger eine Karte eingehändigt, auf der er zu
verzeichnen hat, welchen Beitrag er für das Rote Kreuz und
die Kriegsanleihe geliefert hat.

In ruhigen Zeiten haben wir nun als Kirchengemein—
schaft uns in keiner Weise um politische Dinge bekümmert, son⸗
dern diese den einzelnen Gliedern unserer Gemeinden überlassen.

Da nun aber gegenwärtig unsere Regierung und unsere
Mitbürger von unsern Gemeinden als gesetzlichen Korporatio—
nen und von unsern Pastoren als angesehenen Bürgern Hilfe
im Kriege erwarten, so sind wir es unserer Kirche schuldig, ge⸗
rade in der von der Regierung gewünschten Weise und nach
den allen Korporationen vorgeschriebenen Methoden uns an
der Unterstützung der Regierung zu beteiligen. Solche Be—
teiligung ist keine Vermischung von Kirche und Staat und kann
auch mit gutem Gewissen geschehen. Unsere Regierung ist in
den Krieg eingetreten und fordert nun die Bürger des Landes
auf, die nötigen Mittel zur Kriegsführung zu beschaffen. Nur
in einem Falle würde Gottes Wort den Bürgern eines
Landes alle aktive Beteiligung an einem Kriege verbieten,
nämlich wenn man gewiß wüßte, daß der Krieg ein unge⸗
rechter wäre. Wo jedoch diese Kenntnis fehlt, und man nicht
imstande ist, sich ein allumfassendes Urteil über die Lage zu

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