Class _ Book_ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT WSartaia.^jr . . OVYRIO^ THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH HISTORICALLY, DOCTRINALLY, AND PRACTICALLY DELINEATED, IN SEVERAL OCCASIONAL DISCOURSES BY S. S/SCHMUCKER, D. D., PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY, IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, GETTYSBURG, PA. SPRINGFIELD: PUBLISHED BY HARBAUGH & BUTLER. 1851. ^i ■z * .f>« Entered according to act of Congress, in the year one thou- sand, eight hundred and fifty-one, by D. Hareafgh and J. B. Butler, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the District of Ohio. GEO. 1). EMERSON & CO STEREOTYPERS, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. PREFACE. In offering this work to the public, it is proper that some of the considerations which have actua- ted the publishers, should be stated. The title it- self is significant of the subject on which it treats. The true history, real character, present position, and distinctive features of the Lutheran Church in the world, are little known, often misunderstood, and sometimes grossly misrepresented in this country. Among the causes which may be assigned for this, we mention the want of a proper knowledge of Church History in general, and of Protestantism in particular; non-acquaintance with the German language, and, it is to be feared, denominational bigotry. The Lutheran Church was the first to throw off the yoke of ecclesiastical tyranny, and break the scepter of religious despotism; to maintain the great Protestant principle, that the Bible is the only infallible rule of faith and practice ; to assert the right of private judgment in the interpretation IV PREFACE. of the Scriptures; and to proclaim the doctrine of Justification of Faith alone, as the foundation of a "standing and falling church." Her institutions are second to none on earth; and her literature, embracing every subject of religious inquiry, is the glory of Christendom, furnishing an antidote to false philosophy and rationalism on the one hand, and to vulgar infidelity on the other. Her fundamental doctrines are those of the Reformation, found, in their essential aspects, in all the symbols of Protestantism. Her peculiarities place her in a medium position in Church extremes — in doctrine, worship, rites, and government. Her territory of operation is ex- tended over a large portion of the globe, embracing more than thirty millions of human beings, consti- tuting nearly one-half of Protestantism, and the hope of much of the world. Her history is intimately interwoven with that of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, fur- nishing lessons of wisdom and experience to in- struct and encourage, as well as of presumption and folly to warn and rebuke. All God's dealings with her should teach all her sons, that she was planted, watered, and preserved by Him. But the volume before us treats of the " Ameri- can Lutheran Church." This is a branch of the same vine, planted here more than a century ago, by the right hand of the Lord. Although labor- PEEFACE. ing under many disadvantages, arising from the union of Church and State in Europe, the oppres- sions of their governments, the unsettled state of this country, and the want of a knowledge of its language, she has nevertheless overcome many of them, and extended herself far and wide over our land. The number of her ministers and member- ship has been doubled every fifteen years, by natu- ral increase and immigration ; so that she is already in number the third Protestant denomination in the United States. Notwithstanding all this, the remark made- at the beginning of this Preface is true, that much ignorance exists, and constant misrepresentations take place, relative to the Lutheran Church in the United States. Although information has been spread through her periodicals and publications, in this country, there is none in which so full and satisfactory an account of the Lutheran Church in America can be found as in the present volume. The First Discourse embraces a history of the rise and progress of the Church in this country. The Second presents her characteristic features — the peculiarities by which she is distinguished from other branches of the Protestant family. The Third gives a biography of her founders, here, showing us the extent of their labors, the soundness of their doetrin d views, the sincerity of the '■■-' i Hindi f their knowledge, the VI PREFACE. wisdom of their measures, and the success of their labors. The Fourth discusses the nature of the Saviour's presence in the Lord's Supper, in which the corpo- ral presence of Christ's human nature is denied, and his spiritual presence, according to his divine nature, is maintained. The Fifth discusses the question pertaining to her doctrinal basis and ecclesiastical position, in this country; showing that it is neither rigid sym- bolism, binding the conscience to the letter of every doctrine and statement contained in the whole of the symbolical books, nor loose latitudinarianism, discarding all creeds but the adoption of the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Smaller Cate- chism, as teaching the fundamental doctrines of the word of God, "in a manner substantially correct." The Sixth points out her vocation, calling upon her to realize her obligations, to take warning from past errors, to guard against present dangers, to develope her various resources, to advance her spir- itual interests, and to extend her blessings to all her children. The Author, the Rev. Dr. S. S. Schmucker, has been, for twenty years, Professor of Theology in the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsyl- vania. In the Lutheran Church he is extensively PREFACE. Vli and favorably known ; and no man in this country has done more than he to elevate her character, and to advance her welfare. As a writer, he is able and clear. His style is chaste and easy, and his arguments strong and convincing. His " Fra- ternal Appeal" to the American churches on Chris- tian union, is a master-piece, which, with his other theological and philosophical works, has made him extensively known, beyond the bounds of his own church, both in America and England. We deem it proper to state, that the Author has no pecuniary interest in the appearance of these Discourses, having given his consent gra- tuitously to their republication. To render the work more acceptable, we have inserted his like- ness, having had it engraved expressly for this volume. In the hope that it may awaken, among Luther- ans, a stronger attachment to their church, and draw forth their benevolence in supplying her wants ; give correct information to all who may de- sire to become better acquainted with the Ameri- can shoot of the trunk of Protestantism; strength- en the hands of our self-denying ministers in all their trials; and encourage the hearts of many of our people, who are yet destitute, and as sheep without a shepherd ; we send it forth, praying that the Great Head of the Church, without Vlll PREFACE. whose favor nothing can prosper, would own and bless it to the sanctification and salvation of many souls. D. HARBAUGH, J. B. BUTLER. Springfield, Ohio, August, 1851. CONTENTS I. DISCOURSE. RETROSPECT OF LUTHER ANISM IN THE UNITED STATES. A DIS COURSE DELIVERED BEFORE THE GENERAL SYNOD AT BALTI- MORE, 1841 ; AND PUBLISHED BY SAID BODY FOR GRATUITOUS DISTRIBUTION, 11 II. DISCOURSE. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. A DISCOURSE DELIVERED BY REQUEST, AT THE CONSECRATION OF THE FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH IN PITTSBURG, OCT. 4, 1840, BEFORE THE SYNOD OF WEST PENNSYLVANIA, AAD PUBLISHED BY A RESO- LUTION OF SALD BODY, 41 III. DISCOURSE, 'HE PATRIARCHS OF AMERICAN LUTHERANISM ; BEING A DIS- COURSE DELIVERED BEFORE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES, DURING THE SES- SION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD IN PHILADELPHIA, MAY 17, 1845. AND PUBLISHED BY SAID SOCIETY, 90 IV. DISCOURSE. THE NATURE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST; NOW FIRST PUBLISHED, 120 x CONTENTS. V. DISCOURSE. THE DOCTRINAL BASIS AND ECCLESIASTICAL POSITION OF THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, 155 VI. DISCOURSE. VOCATION OF THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH ; NOW FIRST PUBLISHED, 24? THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. I. DISCOURSE. RETROSPECT OF LTJTHERANISM IN THE UNITED STATES. Remember the days of old, consider the years of many gener- ations, ask thy father and he will show thee, thy elders and they will tell thee. — Deut. xxxii. 7. Man, my brethren, we are told in the good book of God, is wonderfully and fearfully constructed. This is true not only of the tenement of clay which we inhabit, but far more illustriously true of the immortal mind, which mainly con- stitutes ourself. Possessed of powers of cognition, of feeling and of action, man is adapted for the high destiny marked out by the Almighty, for a sphere little lower than that of angels, encircled with honor and ^lory. As he journeys through life, he is surrounded on all sides by a certain ex- tent of intellectual vision, which, like the torch of the be- nighted traveler, forms a circle of illumination around him, in which he can safely direct his steps. His powers of cog- nition embrace a knowledge of the present, some certainties commingled with many probabilities in the future, and co- pious reminiscences of the past. The past is our richest and most instructive teacher ; and it was justly said by one of the most brilliant intellects of heathen antiquity, that not to know what happened before Ave were born is to remain al- ways a child. This power of retrospection sheds its influ* 12 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. ence on every department of human life — on our social, ou r intellectual, and our religious interests. It is in this field of retrospection that the Christian finds many of his dearest social enjoyments. Fond memory de- lights to dwell on the pleasing and interesting associations of our early years, especially associations of effort in the cause of the Redeemer. And it is here, too, that " pensive memory retraces scenes of bliss forever fled/' it is here she "dwells in former times and places;" it is here she "holds com- munion with the dead." On this occasion, my brethren, these feelings rise commingled in my breast, when I see before me some of those beloved brethren, with whom I shared the toils of early ministerial life, and when I fail to see others, who twenty years ago were co-workers with us, but have gone to their rest. It is in the wide field of retrospection, that we gather our richest treasures of wisdom and experience. It is memory that enables us to appropriate to ourselves the knowledge and experience of past ages ; to hold communion with apostles and prophets and patriarchs, and virtually to extend our life from threescore to a thousand years. It is in the rich fields of retrospection, too, that the Christian finds the incidents, the principles, and many of the evidences of his holy re- ligion ; the glorious displays of Divine Providence, and the heavenly, the expansive power of that gospel, which, aided by the Spirit, serves in every age as the conductor of saving influences from heaven to man. In the Old Testament church, festivals were expressly appointed to cherish the memory of God's mercies to his people. And our blessed Saviour himself not only attended those festivals, instituted by Moses, but appointed a mnemonic rite in his own church, and seems not to have disregarded the feast of dedication which was of mere human appointment. John x. 22. But it is not only in the Old Testament dispensation that the hand of Providence and the power of God's word may be recognized. They are displayed with increased lustre in the developments of the New Testament church throughout her history. They are seen in the Reformation of the six- teenth century, when, after ages of concealment beneath the dust of ignorance and superstition, the seed of the word was brought to light and scattered among the people. They are seen in the history of Pietism in Germany, of the Methodist RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. 13 church, the Presbyterian, the Episcopal and other churches, and, we may add, in the History of our Lutheran Zion in these United States. Here, too, the precious seed scattered abroad by a few able and faithful servants of Christ, was richly watered by the Spirit, and produced abundant fruit to the praise of his grace ; and here, too, there are abundant materials for the recognition of his Providence. More than two hundred years have rolled away since the first disciples of Christ bearing the name of Luther, trav- ersed the mighty deep to seek a resting-place in this western world. For more than a century has an uninterrupted stream of immigration continued to swell their numbers, various and interesting and instructive are the incidents which have since transpired ; and as the improvement of such incidents is often enjoined in scripture, it may be well for us to adopt the language of Moses, when about to bid adieu to his brethren after the flesh : " Bemember the days of old, consider the years of many generations, ask thy father and he will show thee, thy elders and they will tell thee." This will be the more appropriate as we are assembled to delib- erate on the welfare of the church at large, and especially as we are on the eve of a centenary celebration, for which we are expected to make arrangements. It would, indeed, be more grateful to the feelings of the speaker, and we trust of those who hear him, if the contemplated celebration per- tained to the body of Christ at large, and not only to one branch of it ; yet if all invidious comparison be avoided, if with our reminiscences of the goodness of God to our Zion, we forget not his mercies to others, and cherish a deep sense of our unprofitableness ; in short, if the spirit of secta- rianism be, as I trust it will be, excluded from the celebration, it may tend to the glory of that Redeemer, who would have all his disciples regard each other as brethren, whilst they acknowledge, as their one and only Master, neither Luther, nor Zuingle, nor Calvin, nor Wesley, but Jesus Christ. With these views we invite your attention to A RETROSPECT OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. We shall I. Glance at the history itself; and, II. Consider several particular topics connected with it. 2 14 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. The history of this portion of Christ's kingdom naturally divides itself into three periods. The I. may be termed the Colonial -Era, extending from the first settlement of Lu- therans in this country, (about 1826,) to the Declaration of American Independence in 1776, and embraces about one hundred and fifty years. The II. extends from that period, to the establishment of the General Synod, in 1820, includ- ing forty-four years. This -maybe regarded as the middle era; and the III. from that period to the present time, which may be styled the era of the General Synod, and includes twenty years. I. THE COLONIAL ERA. The earliest settlement of Lutherans in this country, was made by emigrants from Holland to ISTew York, soon after the first establishment of the Dutch in that city, then called New Amsterdam, which was in 1621. This fact, which is of some historical interest, rests upon the authority of the venerable patriarch of American Lutheranism, Henry Mel- chior Muhlenberg. " As I was detained at ISTew York, (says he in his Report to Halle, 1 ) I took some pains to acquire correct information concerning the history of the Lutheran church in that city. This small congregation took its rise almost at the first settlement of the country. Whilst the ter- ritory yet belonged to Holland, the few Low Dutch Lu- therans were compelled to hold their worship in private ; but after it passed into the possession of the British, in 1664, liberty was granted them by all the successive governors to conduct their worship publicly without any obstruction." 2 The establishment of Lutherans was, therefore, made little more than a century after the re- discovery of America by (1) Hallische Nachrichten, p. 360. (2) The Lutheran Herald, vol. iii, No. 1 , gives tts the following particulars : " Indeed, so great was the number of Lutherans, even at this time, that the very next year. 1665. after the English flag had been displayed from fort Amsterdam, they petitioned for liberty to send to Germany a call for a regular pastor. This petition Governor Nicols of course granted, and in February, 1669. two years after he had left the government, the Rev. Jacobus Eabricius arrived in the colony and began his pastoral labors." "On the 13th of October, 1669, Lord Lovelace, who had succeeded Gov. Nicols, publicly proclaimed his having received a letter from the Duke of York, expressing his pleasure that the Lutherans should be tolerated." R.E.TROSBECT OF LUTHERANISM, 15 Columbus, in 1492; 1 within a few years of the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth rock, 1620, and whilst the Thirty Years' War 2 was raging in Germany, and threatening to exterminate Protestantism from Europe. Their first minister was Jacob Fabricius, who arrived in 1669, but after eight years' labor, left them and connected himself with the. Swed- ish Lutherans. 3 The names of his immediate successors we have not found ; but from 1703 to 1747, their pastors were the Rev. Messrs. Falkner ; from 1703 till 1725, Berkenmayer, and Knoll, and subsequently Rochemdahler, Wolf, Hart- wick and others. The first church (a log building,) was erected 1671, 4 and Mr. Muhlenberg says it was in a dilapi- dated state when it was taken down and its place supplied by one of stone, 5 in the time of Mr. Berkenmayer. The cause of the emigration from Holland we have not seen stated, but it may easily be conjectured, as the emigrants left that country a few years after the famous Synod of Dort (1618,) and whilst the government was enforcing the intoler- ant decrees of that body. To this settlement succeeded that of the Swedes on the Delaware, in 1636, about ten or twelve years after that in ]N"ew Amsterdam, and sixteen years after the arrival of the pilgrims at Plymouth. This colony was first contemplated during the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, and was sanctioned by that enlightened and illustrious king. It was delayed by the commencement of the Thirty Years' War in Germany ; but after Sweden's noble-hearted monarch had poured out his life's-blood on the plains of Lutzen, it was revived and executed under the auspices of his distinguished prime min- (1) It is now fully established that America was not first discovered by Co- lumbus ; but Greenland had been visited by Eirek, the Red, and New Eng- land by Biarni Heriulpkson, the former in 982, the latter in 985. See Discoveries of the North Men. (2) This most memorable of all the wars in the history of Protestantism, wbicb deluged Germany in blood, and had it not been for the magnanimous aid of Gustavus Adolphus and his brave Swedes, would perhaps have extir- pated Protestantism from the earth, was commenced in 1618 and ended in 1648. (3) Clay's Annals, &c, p. 150. Fabricius took charge of the Swedish church at Wicaco. now Southwark, Philadelphia, where ^ he labored four- teen years, during nine of which he was blind. He died 1692. (4) Lutheran Herald, vol. iii. p. 51. (5) Halliche Nachrichten, p. 363. 16 RETROSPECT OF LI7TH E RANIS M. ister, Oxenstiern. 1 For many years this colony prospered, but receiving no accessions from the parent country, it never increased much in numbers ; the rising generation com- mingled with the surrounding English and Germans, and at the present day the Swedish language is entirely abandoned in their worship. For many years their ministers, who were generally men of sterling character, were in habits of the most friendly intercourse and ecclesiastical co-operation with their German Lutheran brethren ; but the prevalence of the English language having early placed them under obligation to our Episcopal brethren, who supplied them with ministrations in that language, these churches, three or four in number, have successively fallen into Episcopal hands. 2 The third settlement of Lutherans in this country was that of the Germans, which gradually spread over Pennsyl- vania, Maryland, Virginia and the interior of New York and the Western States. The grant of Pennsylvania was given to Penn by Charles II. in 1680, and from this date, till about twenty years afterward, many hundreds of families emigrated to Pennsylvania. The tide of German emigration, however, fairly commenced in 1710, when about three thousand Ger- mans, chiefly Lutheran, oppressed by Romish intolerance, went from the Palatinate to England in 1709, and were sent by Queen Ann to New York the succeeding year. In 1713 one hundred and fifty families settled in Schoharie ; and in 1717, we find in the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, that the Governor of the province felt it his duty to call the atten- tion of the "Provincial Council" to the fact, "that great numbers of foreigners from Germany, strangers to our lan- guage and constitution, had lately been imported into the province." The council enacted that every master of a ves- sel should report the emigrants he brought over, and that they should all repair to Philadelphia within one month to take the oath of allegiance to the government, 3 that it might be seen whether they were "friends or enemies to his majesty's (1) Clay's Annals of the Swedes, p. 16. (2) That these churches have dwindled away to almost nothing, would seem to appear from the fact, that when their present amiable rector, the Rev. J. C. Clay, was elected, December 5th, 1831, the entire number of votes given, was, at the Wicaco church (Philadelphia,) 16, at Upper Merion 29;, and at Kingsessing37. Clay's Annals ; p. 133.' (3) Colonial Records, vol, iii, p ; 18. RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN1SM. 17 government." In 1727, the year memorable alike for Francke's death and the origin of the Moravians, a very large number of Germans came to Pennsylvania from the Palatinate from Wurtemberg, Darmstadt and other parts of Germany. This colony was long destitute of a regular min- istry ; there were however some schoolmasters and others, some of whom were probably good men, who undertook to preach ; and as many of the emigrants brought with them the spirit of true piety from Germany, they brought also many devotional books, and often read Arndt's True Chris- tianity and other similar works for mutual edification. 1 For twelve years, from 1730 till the arrival of the patriarch of American Lutheranism, Dr. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the Swedish ministers kindly labored among the Germans, as far as their duties to their own churches admitted. But before we pursue the history of this colony. any farther, our ; attention is claimed by The fourth settlement of Lutherans in this country, who established themselves in Georgia, in 1733, and to designate the gratitude of their hearts to the God who had protected them, styled their location Ebenezer. These emigrants were from Saltzburg, formerly belonging to Bavaria* and restored to the Austrian dominions at the peace of 1814. Persecuted at home by those enemies of all righteousness, the Jesuits, 2 and by Romish priests and Romish rulers, this band of disciples sought a resting-place in these western wilds, where they could worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, under their own vine and fig- tree, without molestation or fear. Through the instrument- ality of Rev. Urlsperger, of Augsburg, who was a corres- ponding member of the British Society for the Promotion of Christianity, pecuniary aid was afforded by that liberal and noble-minded association, and the oppressed Saltzburgers en- abled to reach, the place of their destination. Happily, they were immediately supplied by two able and faithful pastors, Messrs. Bolzius and Gronau. The latter was taken away by death after twelve years labor among the emigrants, but Bolzius was spared to the church about thirty years. In 1738 these colonists erected an orphan house at Ebenezer, (1) See Hallische Nachricliteii, p. 665, • (2) Heinsius' unparteiiseli Kiy= chen historie, vol. hi. p. 291. 2a 18 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. to which work of benevolence important aid was contributed by that, distinguished man of God, George Whitefield, who also furnished the bell for one of the churches erected by them. The descendants of these colonists are still numer- ous, and are connected with the Lutheran synod of South Carolina and adjacent states. Soon after the above colonization, numerous Germans coming from Pennsylvania and other states, settled in North Carolina, 1 who enjoyed the labors of many excellent ser- vants of Christ — Nussman, Arndt, Storch, Roschen, Bern- hard, Shober and others, and whose descendants constitute the present numerous churches in the Carolinas. In 1735 a settlement of Lutherans was formed in Spottsyl- vania, as Virginia was then sometimes called, 2 which we suppose to be the church in Madison county of that state. Their pastor, the Rev. Stoever, visited Germany for aid, and together with several assistants obtained three thou- sand pounds, part of which was expended in the erection of a church, the purchase of a plantation and slaves to work it for the support of their minister, and the balance expended for a library, or consumed by the expenses of the town. 2 As might have been expected, this church seems never to have enjoyed the smiles of our Father in Heaven. In 1739 a few Germans, emigrated to Waldoborough, Maine, to whose number an addition of fifteen hundred souls was made thirteen years afterward. But the title to the land given them by General Waldo proving unsound, many left the colony, and its numbers have never greatly increased. For many years they enjoyed the pastoral labors, success- ively of Rev. Schaeffer (from 1762,) Croner (from 1785,) and Ritz, and since 1811 are under the charge of Rev. Mr. Starman. 3 Of all these colonies that which in the Providence of God has most increased, and has hitherto constituted the great body of the Lutheran church in this country, is that in the (1) Shober's Luther, p. 137. (2) Hallische Nachrichten, p. 331. (3) Heinsius speaks of a colony of Swiss Lutherans, who tired of Romish oppression, also sought refuge in this Western world. They came by way of England, under the direction of Col. Purry, who established them in a place called after himself Purrysburg. This colony, if we mistake not, was also in Georgia, but we have not been able to find any account of its progress or present condition. Heinsius' Kirchengeschichte, vol. iii. p„ 291 „ EETROSPECT OF LUTHER AS ISM. 19 Middle states, Pennsylvania, interior Xew York, Maryland, fee., whose history was traced in its proper place till 1742. This was a memorable year for the Lutheran church. It was rendered so by the arrival of Henry Melchior Muhlen- berg, whose high intellectual and moral qualifications, whose indefatigable zeal and lono- life of arduous and enlightened labor for the Master's cause, constitute a new era in the his- tory of our American Zion, and justly entitle him to the ap- pellation of patriarch of the American Lutheran church. There had indeed been Lutherans in Pennsylvania sixty years earlier. There had been churches built at New Han- over, and near Lebanon (the Bergkircke,) where the Rev. Stover labored in 1733, and at York in 1734. In Philadel- phia also the Lutherans had worshipped jointly with their Reformed brethren in an old log house in Arch street. But in general they had enjoyed no regular ministry, until 1742. Muhlenberg came to this country with qualifications of the highest order. His education was of the very first char- acter. In addition to his knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, he spoke English, German, Holland, French, Latin and Swe- dish. But what was still more important, he was edu- cated in the school of Francke, and had imbibed a large portion of his heavenly spirit. Like Paul, he had an ardent zeal for the salvation of '-'his brethren, his kinsmen accord- ing to the flesh." He first landed in Georgia, and spent a week with the brethren, Bolzius and Gronau, to refresh his spirit and learn the circumstances of the country; and then pursuing his course by a dangerous coasting voyage, in a small and insecure sloop, 1 which had no accommodations for passengers, he arrived in Philadelphia, Xov. 25, 1742. Having reached his place of destination, and surmounted the opposition of Count Zinzendorf, who, under the assumed name of Thurnsiein, had passed himself off as a Lutheran minister and inspector, 2 he was cordially received, and en- (1) During this voyage all on board endured many privations ; and being delayed and tossed about by contrary winds, suffered much for want of water. So great was the destitution of water, that even the rats ate ont the stoppers of the vinegar bottles, and by inserting their tails, extracted the cooling liquid, and drew them through their mouths. And some of these animals were also seen licking the perspiration from the foreheads of the sleeping mariners. Hallische Xachrichten. p. 9. (2) The writer has m his library a volume of sermons, published in Bud- ingen 1746, evidently by Count Zinzendorl in which the writer on the title 20 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. tered on his labors with comprehensive and well-directed views for the benefit of the whole church. He continued to labor for near a half a century, with indefatigable zeal. Whilst Edwards was co-operating with the extraordinary outpourings of God's spirit in New England, and the Wes- leys were laboring to revive vital godliness in England ; whilst Whitefield was doing the same work in England and America, and the successors of Francke were laboring to evangelize Germany ; Muhlenberg was striving with similar zeal and fidelity to do the work of God among his German brethren in this Western world. Of him, as also of some of his earliest associates, it may be truly said, that, " he was in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfullness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fast- ings often, and in cold and nakedness." He preached in season and out of season, in churches, in dwellings, in barns and in the open air, until at last that divine Master, whom he so faithfully served, received him into the society of the apostles and prophets at his right hand. Such was Muhlenberg. Throughout his long life he was regarded by all as the leader of the Lutheran phalanx, as the father of the Lutheran church in this country. Although we see no necessity for attaching a season of grateful ac- knowledgment of the Divine goodnes, to any specinc date, as it is at all times proper ; yet if such a date be sought, no one more appropriate could be found than the year of Muhlenberg's call to this work, (September, 1741,) 1 or his actual arrival in this country in 1742. Muhlenberg was soon joined in the American field by other highly respectable men, of excellent education and of spirit like his own ; the greater part of whom were in like manner sent from Germany, such as Brunnholtz and Lemke, 1745; Handshuh, Hartwick, the generous founder of the seminary that bears his name, and Weygand, 1748 ; Hein- zelman and Schultz, 1751; Gerock, Hausil, Wortman, Waff- age is represented to nave been Lutheran Inspector and Pastor in Phila- elphiain 1742. (1) Hallische Nachrienten, p. 7. RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. 21 ner, Schartlin, Shrenk and Rauss, 1753 ; Bager, 1758 ; Voigt and Krug, 1764; Helmuth and Schmidt, 1769 ; and Kunze, 1770. In company with Mr. Brunnholtz came also Messrs. N. Kurtz and Schaum, who were ordained in 1748 and were among the most faithful and useful of our ministers. The former was the father of the venerable servant of Christ, whom we are permitted this morning to welcome in our midst, the oldest Lutheran minister in the United States, bereft of late of the partner of his life, himself yet kindly spared amongst us as a relic of a former generation. The increase of ministers was slow. When the first Synod was held, in 1748, there were only eleven regular Lutheran ministers in the United States. 1 Three years after that time the number of congregations was rated at about forty, and the Lutheran population in America at sixty thousand. The greater part of these men were indefatigable in their labors. Numerous and arduous were the difficulties in their way. The population was unsettled, ever tending farther into the interior ; 2 intemperance had already made sad havoc in the land ; 3 the semi-civilized habits so natural to pioneers in colonization, the various frolics, the celebrations in honor of Tammany, the Indian chief, &c, which were then ex- tensively observed, 4 were formidable obstacles to religion. Inadequate ministerial support ; difficulty of traveling from want of roads in many directions ; and not unfrequently the tomahawk and scalping knife of the Indian impeded their progress. I cannot stop to tell the soul-stirring story of many an Indian massacre. A single instance, from the pen of father Muhlenberg himself, may teach us alike to ap- preciate the security of our worship and the bitter cost at which our fathers provided it ; may teach us that we are reaping the fruits of their sweat and blood. The case was that of a man whose two grown daughters had attended a course of instruction by Mr. Muhlenberg, and been solemnly admitted by confirmation to the communion of the church. This man afterwards went with his family some distance into the interior to a tract of land which he purchased. (1) In 1743, Naesseman, the Swedish minister, reported to Sweden, that there were at that time twenty German Lutheran congregations in Amer- ica. Heinsius, iii, p. 687. (2) Muhlenbnrg states that in five years half his congregation had changed. (3) Hal. Nach. p. 474. (4) Hall. Nach, p. 1441. 22 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN LSM. When the war with the Indians broke out, he removed his family to their former residence, and occasionally returned to his farm to attend to his grain and cattle. On one occa- sion he went accompanied by his two daughters to spend a few days there, and bring away some wheat. On Friday evening after the wagon had been loaded, and everything was ready for their return on the morrow, his daughters complained that they felt anxious and dejected, and were impressed with the idea that they were soon to die.. They requested their father to unite with them in singing the fa- miliar German funeral hymn : "Who knows how near my end may be," 1 after which they commended themselves to God in prayer and retired to rest. The light of the suc- ceeding morning beamed upon them and all was yet well. Whilst the daughters were attending to the dairy, cheered with the joyful hope of soon greeting their friends, and being out of danger, the father went to the field for the horses, to prepare for their departure home. As he was passing through the field, suddenly he saw two Indians, armed with rifles, tomahawks and scalping knives, rushing towards him at full speed. The sight so terrified him, that he lost all self-command and stood motionless and silent. When they were about twenty yards from him, he suddenly, and with all his strength, exclaimed : " Lord Jesus, living and dying I am thine." Scarcely had the Indians heard the words, "Lord Jesus," (which they probably knew as the white man's name of the "Great Spirit,") when they stopped short, and uttered a hideous yell. The man ran with al- most supernatural strength into the dense forest, and by taking a serpentine course the Indians lost sight of him and relinquished the pursuit. He hastened to an adjoining farm, where two German families resided, for assistance. Bat on approaching near it, he heard the dying groans of the families, who were falling beneath the murderous toma- hawk of some other Indians. Having providentially not been observed by them, he hastened back to learn the fate of his daughters. But, alas ! on coming within sight, he found his house, barn and stable, enveloped in flames ! Finding that the Indians had possession here, too, he has- tened to an adjoining farm for help. Returning armed, (1) The well known German hymn, "Wer weisz wie nahe mir mein Ende." RETROSPECT OF LUTHER ANISM. 23 with several men, they found the house reduced to ashes, and the Indians gone ! His eldest daughter had been al- most entirely burnt up, a few remains only of her body being found ! And awful to relate, the younger, though the scalp had been cut from her head, and her body was hor- ribly mangled from head to foot with the tomahawk, was yet living! "The poor worm," says Muhlenberg, "was yet able to state all the circumstances of the dreadful scene." After having done so, she requested her father to stoop dewn to her that she might give him a parting kiss and then go to her dear Savior, and after she had im- pressed her dying lips upon his cheek, she yielded her spirit into the hands of that Redeemer, 1 who, though his judgments are often unsearchable and his ways past finding- out, has nevertheless said, "I am the resurrection and the life, if any man believe in me, though he die yet shall he live." Such were the difficulties and dangers with which our fathers had to contend, in planting the gospel in these western wilds. But we must pass on to glance at the second, or MIDDLE ERA OF OUR CHURCH IN THIS COUNTRY. The event selected as the division between the first and second periods of our retrospect, is one illustrious in the annals of the world. It separates between the reign of different political theories, the divine right of kings to gov- ern the people, and the people's right to govern themselves; between the principles of liberty and slavery; between the union of church and state, which had prevailed in Europe since its establishment by Constantine about fourteen hun- dred years before, and absolute liberty of conscience un- (1) Hallish. Nadir . p. 1007, 8. The case here narrated was neither ex- treme nor rare. The elder Mr. Kurtz on the 2d of July. 1757, states that on that day, the lifeless bodies of no less than seven members of his congregation were brought to the church for burial, they having been murdered by the Indians the evening before. Being anxious to improve this solemn scene tothe spiritual welfare of his hearers, Mr. Kurtz deferred the interment until the succeeding day. and suffered the mangled bodies to remain in the church until the congregation convened ; a pleasing evidence this, of his solicitude for souls. 24 RETROSPECT OP LtJTHER AN ISM. controlled by civil governments. But the struggle by which this glorious declaration of Independence was sustained, and in which our forefathers took a distinguished part, was like every other war, detrimental to the religious prosperity of the community. Christianity is a religion of peace, and the tempest of war never fails to blast and scatter the leaves which are for the healing of nations. Hear the account of one of those venerable men, the Rev. Dr. Helmuth, just after General Gage had landed at Boston with 9000 British troops, dated Feb. 25th, 1775. "Throughout the whole country great preparations for war are making, and almost every person is under arms. The ardor is indescribable which is manifested in these melancholy circumstances. If a hundred men are required, many more immediately offer, and are dissatisfied when all are not accepted. I know of no similar case in history. Neighborhoods concerning which it would have been expected, that years would be requisite to induce them volutarily to take up arms, became strongly inclined for war, so soon as the battle of Lexington was known. Quakers and Menonists take part in the military exercises, and in great numbers renounce their former re- ligious principles. The hoarse din of war is hourly heard in our streets. The present disturbances inflict no small in- jury on religion. Every body is constantly on the alert, anxious, like the ancient Athenians, to hear the news, and amid the mass of news the hearts of men are, alas ! closed against the good old word of God. The Lord is chastising the people, but they do not feel it. Those who appear to be distant from danger are unconcerned ; and those whom calamity has overtaken are enraged and meditating ven- geance. In the American army there are many clerg3 T men, who serve both as chaplains and as officers. I myself know two, one of whom is a Colonel and the other a Captain. The whole country is in a perfect enthusiasm for liberty. The whole population from New England to Georgia is of one mind, and determined to risk life and all things in de- fence of liberty. The few who think differently are not per- mitted to utter their sentiments. In Philadelphia the English and German students are formed into military companies, wear uniform, and are exercised like regular troops. Would to God that men would once become as zealous and unan- RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. 25 imous in asserting their spiritual liberty, as they are in vin- dicating their political freedom ! l This melancholy state of things lasted upwards of seven years. Many of the churches were destroyed throughout the land, and especially in New England. Zion's church, the largest in Philadelphia, was occupied as a hospital 2 by the British army in 1778, and the congregation for a season wholly expelled ; and their other church, St. Michaels, which had been built 1743, the year after Muhlenberg'^ arrival, was used by the enemy as a. garrison church, half of every Lord's day, the congregation having the use of it in the af- ternoon. Curing the ravages of this war, no regular reports were forwarded to Halle, and our acquaintance with the par- ticulars of our history is necessarily circumscribed. Many, however, of the fathers of the church survived the revolu- tionary struggle, and remained in the field during the earlier part of this period ; yet one by one they dropped off, and were received to their eternal res-t. From the (Kirchena- gende) " Directory for Worship," published in 1786, three years after the Independence of these United States was acknowledged by Britain and the war closed, we learn, that at that time our ministry in the Middle States embraced the following twenty-four persons : Henry Melchior Muhlen- berg, D. D., senior of the ministerium, Nicholas Kurtz, his younger brother William Kurtz, Lewis Voigt, John Andrew Krug, Christian Imanuel Schultze, John George Bager, Just Christian Henry Helmuth, D. D., John Frederick Schmidt, John Christopher Kunze, D. D., Gotthilf, Henry Ernst Muhlenberg, D. D., Conrad Wildbahn, Jacob B. Buskirk, John Friderici, Christian Streit, John George Jung, Conrad Roel- ler, Jacob Georing, Daniel Schroeter, Daniel Lehman, Henry Moeller, Frederick Ernst, Frederick Valentine Melsheimer, and Daniel Kurtz, D. D. In addition to these, the following laborers among many others, entered the field during the second period, and car- ried forward the work of the Lord: John Frederick Wein- land, Frederick David Schaefier, D. D., Wm. Carpenter, George Lochman, D. D., John George Schmucker, D. D., Christian Endress, D. D., Ernest L. Hazelius, D. D., Philip (1) Hallische Nachi-icMen, p. 1367, 8. (2) Hallisclie Nachrichten p. 1408. 3 126 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. F. Mayer, D. D., John Bachman, D. D., Jolm Ruthrauff, George Flohr, Paul Henkel, John Staunch, F. W. Geissen- hainer, D. D., Augustus Wackerhagen, D. D., G. A. Lint- ner, D. D., G. B. Miller, D. D., Jno. Herbst, John Knosky, H. Muhlenberg, D. D., David F. Schaeffer, D. D., John Hecht, Jacob Miller, D. D., Ulrich, Baetis, Ernst, D. D., J. Becker, D. D., F. C. Schaeffer, D. D., J. P. Shindel, A. Reck, B. Kurtz, D. D. The number of congregations and ministers was much increased during this period ; but owing to the want of a suitable institution for their education and to other causes, the proportion of men destitute of a learned education was also augmented. Nor can it be denied, that, whether it is attributable to the unhallowed influence of the war, or to this and other causes in conjunction, the standard of piety in the churches was somewhat on the decline, especially in the latter part of this period. As the same remark is also ap- plicable to all the other religious denominations of our land, the war of the Revolution and the war with England in 1812, were most probably its principal reason ; for a general effect requires an equally general cause. With this cause co-ope- rated another, almost as influential, the general and unpre- cedented facilities offered by our young and nascent country to accumulate deceitful riches, and to neglect the treasures in heaven ; and also the less pious character of the late ac- cessions made to our churches by emigration from Germany, then devastated and demoralized by the deadly poison of war. In addition to their pastoral labors, several of our princi- pal men occupied important posts in literary institutions. Dr. Kunze was professor of the Greek, Latin and German languages, in the University of Pennsylvania, established in 1779; in 1785 Dr. Helmuth was appointed to the same station ; and they were confessedly as learned men as any connected with the institution. At this time the Academy which had previously existed, was converted into a prepar- atory school to prepare German youth to understand the in- structions of the University. In 1786, the Kirchenagende was published, which con- tinued in use during nearly the whole of this period until in 1818, the one now employed in our German churches, was published. RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. 27 In 1787, the Legislature out of gratitude for the revolu- tionary services of the Germans, and respect for their in- dustry and excellence as citizens, endowed a college in Lan- caster for their special benefit, to be forever under their control. Of this institution Dr. Muhlenberg, then pastor in Lancaster, was chosen president. And in 1791, the same body passed an act, appropriating 5000 acres of land to the flourishing free school of the Lutheran church in Philadel- phia, in which at that time eighty poor children were receiv- ing gratuitous education. In 1796, at which time the difficulties resulting from the conflict between the German and English languages, that tit prolific source of endless evils to our churches, already be- gan to appear, there was a very enlarged and enlightened plan for the establishment of a German and English school with five teachers, devised, and if we mistake not, put into operation ; but for reasons which we do not find on record, it seems soon to have been abandoned. Had this plan been persisted in, and as a necessary con- comitant, suitable provision been made to have the doctrines of the gospel preached in English to those who could not understand German, the Lutheran church might at this day be as numerous as any other in Philadelphia. But in pursu- ance of a policy which we cannot but regard as mistaken, every effort to introduce English preaching was, until about the close of this period, met with determined opposition. Much may, however, be said on both sides of this question. Emigration 1 was still going on rapidly, and as the increas- ing numbers of German congregations gave full employment to all the laborers in the field, and filled up the places of those who left the church ; it is perhaps less matter of sur- prise than regret, that the fathers of that era, made no pro- vision for the porion of the rising generation unacquainted with the German language. At the request of the Philadelphia church council, their (1) In 1785, a German Society was established in New York, of which Dr. Kunze was an active member, and in which Baron Steuben, celebrated in our revolutionary struggle, took a deep interest, the object of which was alike to encourage emigration from Germany and to protect the rights of those who seek a home amongst us. Similar societies had previously ex^ isted in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Hall. Nach. p. 1508, 1518. 28 RETROSPECT OF LUTHER AN IS M. pastors, 1791, addressed a pamphlet to the Lutherans of that city, on the signal evidences of the divine goodness and mercy to them, calling on them, to acknowledge and evince their gratitude by upholding their German re- ligious institutions and language. It was published on oc- casion of the re-opening of St. Michael's church, after a thorough repair ; and amidst much most excellent religious instruction, states the fact, that three of the largest churches in the city would not contain all the descendants of the Ger- man fathers, if they were animated by the zeal which char- acterized their ancestors in 1742. There is one incident in the early history of our German churches in Philadel- phia, affording so striking an evidence of the proverbial in- tegrity of the German character, that it deserves to be particularly noted. The corporation paid a large debt due by the church, to some mechanics, in continental money, when, that money was at par. Soon after, however, that currency depreciated to almost nothing, and of course the loss both in law and equity would have fallen on those in whose possession the notes were at the time found. But our noble hearted German fathers could not bear the thought, that any one should lose upon money received from them, and though they were not under the least obligation to do so, they actually made up the entire deficiency and paid the debt a second time in gold and silver! In that same church, there was as early as 1804 a flourishing Sabbath school of two hundred scholars and forty teachers, a con- clusive evidence that the cause of God was prospering at that time. Although the influx of ministers from Germany had di- minished near the close of this middle era ; the bond of Christian sympathy and union between us and the mother country, was by no means either severed or impaired. Of this a pleasing demonstration was afforded in 1814. When Halle, the mother of our central American church, the alma mater of Muhlenberg, of Handschuh, Heinzelman, Schultz, of Eager, of Voigt, of Krug, of Helmuth, of Schmidt and others, had greatly suffered by the devastation of the Buona- partean wars, collections were taken here, with great prompt- ness, and forwarded to Halle, amounting to two thousand three hundred and thirty-four dollars, and ten cents ;■- a RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN1SM. 29 specimen of Christian sympathy this, which was liberally repaid, when in 182G, Dr. Benjamin Kurtz visited Germany in behalf of the Theological Seminary of this Synod. About the close of this period the state of piety in the American churches generally was improving, and a clearer day began to dawn also on our Lutheran Zion. III. The Third Period we style the era of the General Synod, because the formation of 'this noble institution, was a starting place and a central radiating point of improvement in the church, whose influence has been uninterrupted and most propitious ; and not entirely confined to the Synods which formally acceded to the union. Prior to this era the church had gradually become divided into five or six dif- ferent, distant, and unconnected Synods. Having no regular intercourse with each other, these several portions became more or less estranged ; and lost all the advantages of mutual consultation, confidence and co-operation. But a number of the most enlightened and active men in different portions • of the church lamented its decline, and resolved on efforts' for its improvement. The first of these efforts, and that ■ which brought in its train many others of blessed in- - fluence, was the establishment of the General Synod in 1820, whose stated meeting has convened us on this occa- sion. The particular circumstances attending the formation and growth of this blessed institution are known to you all, and our time will not allow us to narrate them. Nor will deli- cacy permit us in the presence of some of them, to speak, as they deserve, of that noble band of brethren, who were foremost to repel the onset and the outcry against this Synod and bear it onward to victory and triumph ; nor of that band of younger brethren, who, when the recession of the mother Synod of Pennsylvania threatened certain dissolution to this body, stepped forward and nobly sustained it against fearful odds, until the storm was overblown, and by a course of well-doing the prejudices of some and apprehensions of others were removed. Much might be said of the spirit of brotherly love, of union and of piety which this Synod tended to diffuse ; and of the Theological Seminary established by this body, in * 3a SO RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. which upwards of one hundred 1 laborers have been trained for the vineyard of the Lord. Powerful and extensive has been the influence of this body in introducing scriptural discipline into our churches, and promoting correct views of church government. Most salutary has doubtless been the influence of that selec- tion of ardently pious and evangelical hymns published by this Synod, by which hundreds of thousands of souls have been aided in their devotions and taught to sing the songs of Zion in their pilgrimage toward the heavenly Jerusalem. Much might be said of the honorable manner in which the greater part of the brethren and churches in E ast Penn- sylvania, and elsewhere, whilst yielding to the prejudices of the weaker members, yet continued to afford their sub- stantial and increasing aid to every good work undertaken by this Synod, so that much of the credit for what has been achieved, is justly due to their co-operation. In other Synods not connected with the General Synod, a similar spirit of improvement characterizes this age. Upon the whole, therefore, the Lutheran portion of the Re- deemer's kingdom in this country has, during the third pe- riod, been making rapid strides in improvement. This era is also distinguished by the establishment of the theological seminaries at Hartwick, which is the oldest of all, at Lex- ington and at Columbus ; all of which are doing an im- portant work for the church and age. The general progress of the church is demonstrated by the fact, that at the com- mencement of this era, there were but one hundred and forty Lutheran ministers* in the United States, and at the present day we number four hundred and six. 2 With this cursory review of our past history, we hasten in the II. PLACE, TO GLANCE AT SOME SELECT TOPICS CONNECTED WITH IT. Our first topic for observation shall .be the character of the church government and Discipline adopted by the fathers (1) Now, (1851.)the number of those who have been connected with the Seminary, has increased to 259. * Synod of Pennsylvania, including Maryland and Virginia, contained 74 ministers ; Synod of Ohio, 23 ; North Carolina, 15 ; South Carolina, 10 ; and New lork 10. (2) Now, 771. RETROSPECT OF LUTHER AN ISM. 31 ef our American branch of the church. Though coming from a country, where the union of church and state, as well as other circumstances, prevented the early Reformers from restoring church government and discipline to its prim- itive and apostolic form ; when our fathers reached this- land of liberty they at once adopted the form which Luther and Lutheran divines generally, have always regarded as the primitive one, namely parity of ministers, the co-ope- ration of the laity 1 in church government, and the free volun- tary convention of Synods. Six years after the arrival of father Muhlenberg, the first Synod was held in Philadel- phia, August 14th, 1748. Even at this first Synod, lay del- egates were in attendance, and regularly participated in the transaction of business. 2 The character of this and the subsequent Synods and conferences, was interesting in the extreme, and breathed a spirit truly apostolic. The time was spent in administering the affairs of the churches and in pastoral consultation ; and such was the zeal and interest of the brethren, that they repeatedly during the same con- ference, continued their pastoral consultations till three- o'clock in the morning, communing together about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. But hear Muh- lenberg himself. Speaking of a Synod held in 1760, at ]STew Providence, a village, then the place of his residence, and now called Trap, after Rev. Gerock had preached a German sermon in the forenoon, and the excellent Provost Wrangel of the Swedish church, an English discourse in the afternoon, he says : " After the close of public worship all the ministers convened at my house, and held a biblical colloquy (colloquium biblicum) on the essential character- istics of genuine repentance, faith, and godliness ; in which they endeavored to benefit each other according to the grace given them, by communicating the results of their own experience and self-examination, so that it was a cheering and delightful season. The residue of the even- ing was spent in singing spiritual hymns and psalms and in conversation about the spiritual condition of our churches ; and so short did the time appear, that it was 3 o'clock in the morning before we retired to rest. Oh, (he adds) how delightful it is when ministers, standing aloof from all po- (I) Hallisete Nachrichten, p, 968, (2) p.. 284, 286. 3Z RETROSPECT OF LUTHER AN ISM. litical and party contests, seek to please their Loid and Master Jesus Christ, and have at heart the welfare of their churches and the souls entrusted to their care; and are willing rather to suffer reproach with the people of God, than choose the treasures of Egypt." 1 Of their practice to require the laity to unite in the vo- cation of ministers, we have a decided instance in the case of that distinguished and laborious servant of G-od, the Rev. Nicholas Kurtz. After his examination in 1748, by Messrs. Muhlenberg, Brunnholtz, Handschuh and Hart- wick, we are told, the elders and deacons of the church in which he had labored as a licentiate, were called on to sign his vocation. 2 In matters of discipline also, the church took part. When members had been guilty of any grievous and public of- fense, Muhlenberg required them to appear publicly in church before the altar, and profess their penitence ; after which he called on the members to decide by vote, whether the individual should be restored to the privileges of church- membership* and especially of sacramental communion. 3 As to the character of their discipline, it was evidently scriptural and evangelical. They practiced the public ex- communication of immoral members from the church. Dif- ferent instances of this practice are detailed in the journals of Muhlenberg, 4 of Helmuth 5 and others, In 1772 Hel- muth, in order more effectually to prevent the approach of unworthy members, introduced the practice of requiring all who desired to commune, to communicate their names to him before hand. 6 The register of names was read before the congregation, and those of immoral members publicly erased. Father Muhlenberg introduced a very scriptural discipline in the Lancaster church, of which his successor, Dr. Helmuth, speaks in terms of high commendation. One of the same character was introduced in the Philadelphia church in 1663, which gave to the pastors power to reject all immoral members from the sacramental table. 7 And in 1784 at the Synod held at Philadelphia, the resolution of a previous Synod was confirmed, requiring of certain trans- gressors public acknowledgment before the congregation, (1) Hall. Nach. p. 855. (2) p. 284. (3) p. 185. (4) p. 907. (5) p. 1347. (6) p. 1346. (7) p. 962. RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. 33 as the only condition of restoration to the privileges of church members. 1 How scriptural, therefore, was the gov- ernment, how spiritual, how faithful the discipline of our fathers ! Well may it be said, that those amongst us, who are most zealous and active in winning souls to Christ, ap- proximate nearest to the good old ways and example of our fathers. The second topic, to which we invite your attention, is the literary character and labors of the founders of our church in this country. Their literary character was indisputably of the first order. The greater part of them received a full university education at Halle. Muhlenberg, Hand- schuh, Heinzelman, Shultz, Bager, Voigt, Krug, Helmuth, and Schmidt and others were educated in different institu- tions. So fully was this fact felt by the literati of that day, that the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, a degree then very rarely conferred, was bestowed on a goodly num- ber of them, and their being appointed to professorships in different institutions and elected members of different learned societies, affords evidence of the same truth. Several of them preached both in English and German, and of Muhlenberg can be said what is applicable not to one in a hundred of the ablest and best ministers and mis- sionaries of our own age, that he statedly preached in three different languages on the same day, English, Holland and German. Overloaded as they were with missionary labor and pastoral care, these devoted men found little leisure for any other literary labor than was necessary for the worship and government of their churches. The Swedish Lutheran minister, provost Wrangle, in 1761, published an English version of Luther's catechism, which had also, as early as 1642, been translated into the language of the neighboring Indians, by Campanius, likewise a Swede. Benjamin Frank- lin had an edition of the same work printed in German, and also issued proposals for publishing "Arndt's True Chris- tianity." In the year 1786 both the German hymn book and the "Kirchen Agende," or Directory for Worship, were published. Of the former, the editors were Drs. Muhlen- berg, Senr. Kunze, Helmuth and Muhlenberg, jr., of Lan- caster. The historical narrative of the establishment and (1) Hall. Nach. p. 1458. 34 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. progress of the Lutheran church in this country, constitu- ting a quarto volume of 1518 pages, was contributed chiefly by Dr. Muhlenberg, sen., (whose valuable and pious contri- butions would form several 8vo volumes,) Brunnholtz, Handschuh, Kunze and Helmuth. Even literary labor may be expended amiss, when performed at the expense of more active and urgent care of souls. It therefore redounds to the credit of these men, that although so well qualified, they devoted comparatively little time to literary perform- ances. Yet did some of them, such as Dr.. Kunze, Dr. Helmuth, Dr. Muhlenberg of Lancaster, make valuable and learned contributions to the literature and science of our land; and Lutheran divines in this country generally, have by no means been deficient in the labors of their pen. But why did they fail to furnish the church with such lit- erary and theological institutions, as had always been the glory of the Lutheran church in Europe, and one of her most successful means of extension ? Not because they were insensible to their importance, or inattentive to their duty. Even in the earlier years of his ministry, Muhlen- berg advocated the necessity and importance of establish- ing a theological and literary institution to supply the church with well qualified laborers. As early as 1765, Dr. Frey- linghausen remarks : "Mr. Muhlenberg has often expressed his earnest desire, that the vast and increasing multitude of German Lutherans in North America might be better pro- vided for in regard to religious instruction. He is con- vinced, that the present arrangements are insufficient ; and that a Seminary ought to be established to train up laborers to publish the doctrines of the gospel. But, he adds, — and this teaches us the principal obstacle which baffled their efforts — hitherto the erection of houses of worship has caused such extensive expenditures, that the- greater part of our congregations are burdened with debt, and unable to contribute to such an enterprise." 1 In 1 773 a commencement was actually made to establish such an institution, chiefly through the zeal and enterprize of Dr. Kunze, confessedly one of the most learned and enlight- ened divines of America, and an ornament to our church, to whom Dr. Miller, of Princeton, pays the following deserved. (1) Hall. NacL p. 1253-4.. RETROSPECT OF LUTHE R AN I SM. 35 tribute: "The various acquirements of this gentleman, and particularly his oriental learning, have long rendered him an ornament of the American republic of letters. He has prob- ably done more than any individual now living to promote a taste for Hebrew literature, among those intended for the clerical profession in, the United States. He is doubtless entitled to the character of a benefactor of the American churches." * That the efforts of such a man, seconded by the co-operation of Father Muhlenberg and others, failed of ] eventual success, would seem to compel us to the conclusion, that the fault lay not in them, but in the peculiar condition of our congregations at that day. Six years afterward, in 1779, when the Academy in Philadelphia was erected into a University, a German professor of Latin, Greek and He- brew, was appointed, principally through the influence of Dr. Kunze, who was one of the Trustees. Dr. Kunze him- self was urged to accept the appointment, and in connection with Dr. Helmuth, labored with some success for the Ger- man portion of the community, but eventually this plan also was abandoned. In 1785 Messrs. Helmuth and Schmidt, then pastors in Philadelphia, commenced a private seminary, and for twenty years continued so far as their numerous pastoral duties would permit, to instruct candidates for the Lutheran ministry, among whom were many of the best pas- tors and divines of the middle era of our history ; but old age and eventually death also terminated these efforts. But in the providence of God the time seems to have arrived, when our churches are alike able and willing to ac- complish that which our fathers longed and prayed for, and wished to see, but died without the sight. It is one of the glories of the present era of our church, that she has been actively employed in laying the foundations and beginning to rear the walls of such theological and literary institutions as the Providence of God so signally blessed, in founding and extending the churches of the Reformation both in Eu- rope and America. We say beginning to rear the walls ; because though we have nominally four theological semi- naries in this country, they are not half endowed. None of them have funds enough to support half as many teachers as are necessary to give adequate instruction in the whole (1) Dr. Miller on the 18th centmy, vol. ii. p. 56. 36 RETROSPECT OF LUTHER AN ISM. theological course. The entire time of three professors at least is requisite for this purpose ; and the best endowed of our seminaries has an addition to its buildings, little more than a support for one professor. Is it not evident then, that we owe it to the memory of our enlightened and zealous fathers, who laid the foundation of our church, that we should rear the superstructure ? When they of their 'poverty erected altars and temples to our God in this howling wilder- ness, ought not we of our abundance to finish the work they so nobly began, and make adequate provision for laborers to cultivate our vineyard, and to send forth others into the field of the world ? Will not that righteous Judge, who re- quires much from those to whom much is given, demand it at our hands ? But we cannot doubt from what we have seen and heard on the subject of our contemplated centen- ary, that your hearts will devise liberal things, and that your hands and those of our brethren throughout the. length and breadth of our church will, by the blessing of heaven, nobly execute them. The third and last topic to which we invite your attention, is the practical piety of our fathers, and their views of con- version and prayer meetings and revivals of -religion. Muh- lenberg and his early fellow laborers had been trained by the spirit of God as worthy disciples of the Frankean school. The period of their education was the age of re- vivals in Germany, and succeeded the era of the pietistic controversies, which grew out of them, and enlisted on one side or other, the entire theological intellect of that country. These laborers were selected by Franke the younger, and Freylinghausen, and were therefore men after their own heart, were chosen spirits of Germany. They were men not unworthy of the age in which their lot was cast, the age of Edwards, of Whitefield, of Wesley. Their own views were decidedly orthodox and evangelical, and .they were careful to require evidences of genuine piety from applicants for the ministerial office. When the venerable father who is yet in our midst was licensed in 1784, among the prin- cipal questions which he was required to answer, were the following : How do }^ou prove that Christ was not only a teacher, but also that he had made an atonement for the sins of men ? What is meant by. the influences and blessings of the Holy Spirit ? What are the evidences of conversion ? RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. 37 How do you prove the propriety of pedobaptism ? How do you prove the eternity of future punishment? Were the apostles infallible in their instructions ? Questions having a manifest bearing on the errors prevailing, or beginning to prevail in that age. Their preaching was most evangelical and edifying, and their journals show, that they earnestly prayed and looked for the divine blessing. Muhlenberg states, that he sometimes, after sermon, added a brief para- phrase or exhortation on the closing hymn, and described the case of a young man who attributed his conversion to this practice. Those devoted men were not desirous of merely pleasing their hearers. They were none of Those " gentle theologues of calmer kind, Whose constitution dictates to their pens, Who cold themselves, think ardor comes from hell,' On the contrary, all that they have written, and all that is on record of their sermons, proves, that they were anxious mainly for the glory of their Saviour and the salvation of the souls committed to their care. It was in this spirit that they plainly assailed the prevailing vices of the land, and often incurred the displeasure of the vicious. Thus, for his faithfulness towards Sabbath breakers, in Philadelphia, Dr. Kunze, in 1784, was attacked in the newspapers of the day. Soon after his settlement in New York, Dr. Kunze remarks : The souls that have been gained by the truth, are as yet few in number. Several individuals have come to me, and with tears besought me to teach them, what they must do to be saved." The reports which they statedly sent to Halle, abounded in individual narratives of conversions, and de- monstrate that they watched for souls as those that must give an account. They encouraged prayer-meetings among their church- members, and often conducted them themselves. Nor did they deem it necessary to forbid these meetings, although formalists within the church opposed them, and the ungodly world without sometimes disturbed the meetings, as was done at Lancaster in 1773, in the pastoral charge of Dr. Helmuth. Speaking of a revival of religion, then in pro- gress, he says : " Twice or thrice a week, meetings were held in the evening, at different places by the subjects of this 4 38 RETROSPECT OF LUTHE R AN ISM. work of grace, and the time spent in singing, in praying, reading a chapter of the word of God, or of Arndt's True Christianity, and if no prayer-meeting was held on Sabbath evening in the church, the substance of the sermon was dis- cussed. In some houses the number was rather large, there being sometimes as many as forty persons assembled at one place. The children of this world several times attempted to disturb their worship, by standing at the windows listen- ing, and by throwing against the doors. But by grace they were enabled to bear it without any resistance, and even when on their way home they were assailed on the streets with various nicknames, and stigmatized as hypocrites, piet- ists, &c, they answered not a word. Some of their perse- cutors also, when they heard these men sing and pray with so much fervor and sincerity, not only ceased their opposi- tion, but induced others to do the same." 1 The labors of the greater part of these men were extensively blessed. Speaking of a visit he paid to Tolpehocken, father Muhlen- berg says he found many souls who professed the Rev. Mr. N. Kurtz as their spiritual father.; -and his own labors were crowned with very extensive success. In 1782 there was also a season of revival, of special interest in the church in Philadelphia. " Particularly among the young (says Dr. Kunze) there has been a fire kindled which continued to burn to our great joy about a year." And numerous other similar scenes might be detailed if our time admitted. But we must close. Thus, my brethren, we have taken a hasty retrospect of our past history in this country, from the time when our fathers first pitched their tents in the howling wilderness, surrounded by ravenous wolves and panthers, and still more ferocious savages. The view is rich in lessons of various in- struction ; but our trespass on your time and attention, al- ready too long continued, forbids us to pursue them. What Christian, in reviewing- this history, does not feci, that the founders of our American church were men, whose char- acter and works deserve to live in the hearts of posterity. Who does not feel that instead of having outstripped their zeal and fidelity, we have too often fallen short of their (1) Hall. Nach', p. 1351-2. RETROSPECT OF LUTHERAN ISM. 39 bright example ? Who is not compelled to admit that their memory has been too little cherished among us ? That in the language of our text we have too seldom "remembered the days of old, and considered the years of many genera- tions ?" That we have too seldom asked our fathers to tell us the story of God's dealings with them in the land of their pilgrimage ? Or what elder, what ruler, or pastor of the church among us, must not admit that he has too rarely from the sacred desk magnified the goodness of God to our fathers, and through them to us. The memory of the pilgrim fathers is cherished by our New England brethren, with an interest bordering on vener- ation. And yet we hesitate not to affirm, that in regard to piety and zeal, father Muhlenberg, and Brunnholtz, and Handschuh, and Bolzius, were by no means inferior to Cot- ton, Hooker, Davenport, or the Mathers ; and in learning they were their superiors. Let then the contemplated cen- tenary be improved as a favored season, to review the good- ness of God to us and his American Zion in general. Let us bless God, not that we are better than our fathers ; but that they were so good, so faithful, so rich in blessings, which have flowed down to us. Let us thank God, not that we are better than other portions of his kingdom in our land ; but that, in common with them, we have fallen heirs to. so rich a legacy of civil and political, and above all, of religi- ous liberty, bought by the joint blood of our fathers and theirs, bestowed by the kind Providence of their God and ours. Let us learn from the review, that if God so abundantly- blessed the labors of our fathers, amid such mountains of difficulty, he will not withhold the gracious influences of his Spirit from us ; but that whenever a Paul faithfully plants, and an /polios attentively waters, God will never withhold the increase. Let us therefore humbly and im- partially contemplate our defects as watchmen on Zion's walls, and by the grace of God, purpose their removal. Let us consider attentively the various defects in some of our churches, the low state of piety, the laxity of discipline, the worldliness and indifference ; and let us humble ourselves, and pray and labor for the coming of a brighter day. Let us take to heart the pecuniary difficulties, the imperfect means of instruction afforded by our imperfectly endowed institu 40 RETROSPECT OF LUTHERANISM. tions, amid which our ministers must struggle into the min- istry ; and let us not rest until by the blessing of God, those difficulties are removed, until our church can boast of something like a Halle in the United States, until we can offer to our students advantages equal to those which the founders of our church enjoyed in the land of their fathers. Then will our church increase in efficiency and piety ; then will she be enabled to exert a more powerful and salutary influence on the future destinies of this great nation ; then will she be a more worthy coadjutor with the other churches of our Lord, in spreading the triumphs of the cross, in es- tablishing the universal reign of king Emanuel, in ushering in the day of millenial glory, when the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of our Lord and hi^ Christ. II. DI3C0UKSE PORTRAITURE OF LTJTHEKANISM. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power ; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightly with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, (daimonon, deities, saints and idols,) and the hold of every fonl spirit, and a cage of every nnclean and hateful bird, And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my peo- ple, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues. — Rev. rviii. 1-4. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us ; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. — 1 John i. 3. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. — 2 John v. 10. The visible church of Christ is that external kingdom, which the Son of God established upon earth. It embraces those who make a credible profession of his religion, and is designed as a nursery to train souls for that kingdom in heaven, into which no unholy thing can enter. Though at present unhappii} 7 divided, it is substantially one universal body. It embraces not the members of any one denomina- tion alone, but all of every land, of every name, and of every complexion, who love the Lord Jesus Christ. The mem- bers of this body of Christ sustain certain mutual relations of fraternity ; and however in the providence of God, they have been permitted to adopt some diversities of external form, and to entertain, as did the primitive disciples them- selves, some minor differences of opinion, "they are bound 4a 42 PORTRAITURE OF LU THE R AN IS M. to exercise holy fellowship and communion," not only to- wards those of their own house and denomination, but "as God offereth opportunity, unto all those in every place, who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus," 1 and hold the car- dinal doctrines of our common Christianity. At the same time, if any come, preaching another gospel; we are pro- hibited from "receiving them into our house, or bidding* them God speed." Hence, wherever a church is estab- lished in a place where her doctrines are imperfectly known, it is due to surrounding Christians whose fellowship is in- vited, and to whom the hand of Christian fraternity is ten- dered, that such exposition be made of her views and pe- culiarities, as will enable others justly to appreciate her claims to recognition and regard. In this flourishing city a large proportion of the inhabit- ants have, from the beginning, either immediately or by de- scent, belonged to the great German family, and very many of them to its Lutheran branch. The larger part of these having by the current of business, of social relations and political institutions, been led into greater familiarity with the adopted language of our land, have, in the last thirty years united with the several English churches ; in which, we trust, they are doing and receiving good. Others, if we are rightly informed, who preferred to worship in the German language, erected a church about the year 1 300, in union with our German Reformed brethren, and made it a united German church for both denominations, which is still flourishing at this time. Within the last few years, two other churches, entirely Lutheran, have been built by the labors of the Rev. Mr. Heyer, the zealous missionary of our domestic missionary society, in conjunction with a little band of enterprising Lutheran laymen, one located in the city proper, and the other in Alleghany town. To-day we are assembled within the sacred walls of a third, an En- glish Lutheran church, erected by a portion of the same enterprising and zealous band, in conjunction with their be- loved pastor, the Rev. Mr. McCron. There having hereto fore been no edifice in this city, devoted to the worship oi God by Lutherans in the English language, the English (1) Westminster Confession, Art. xxvi. 2. See also Augsburg Confession- Art, vii. viiL PORTRAITURE OF L U TH E RA N I S M . 43 community has remained comparatively unacquainted with the precise doctrines and forms of worship of- this eldest member of the Protestant family, of that church which, under God, was the first to obey the voice from heaven, and "come out from the Romish Babylon," and which, by the Divine blessing, has been extended over a wider field and larger population than any other in the entire Protest- ant world. In our own commonwealth, also, this church is decidedly the largest, though not in ministers, yet in the number of her churches and members. 1 Under these cir- cumstances it is deemed alike appropriate to the occasion and respectful to this promiscuous assembly, to step aside from the ordinary topics of pulpit discussion, and spend the hour in attempting to present A PORTRAITURE OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH. We invite your attention I. To HER ORIGIN. II. Her primitive features. III. Her extension. And, IV. Her progressive development or improvement. The Lutheran church is indebted for her name, as is the Protestant ministry for the name preacher, 2 to the derision of .the Catholics. The distinguished papal theologian, Dr. Eckius, 3 the opponent of Luther and Carlstadt, in the cele- (1) The number of Lutheran churches in Pennsylvania is 328 ; the num- ber of communicants reported, 36 516; the number of ministers. Ill, of whom 64 belong to the synod of East Pennsylvania, 40 the synod of West Pennsylvania, and 7 bordering on the state of Ohio,- are connected with the synod of that State. (2) As preachiug bad been almost entirely neglected by the Romish priesthood; and their worship had degenerated iuto little else than a mere routine of ceremonies, the fact that Lutheran ministers made the preaching of God's word a prominent part of their public services, naturally arrested attention, and the Romanists stigmatized them as mere proclaimers, '-'prEedi- cantes " or "prediger" (Dutch preeken, French precher. English " preach.") "preachers," a term of far less dignity and significance in their eyes than that of priest. (3) Dr. Vater, in his Continuation of Hehke's Church History, vol. ix. p. 205. attributes part of the credit of this name to Pope Adrian, as also to the anti-Melanchthonians. 44 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERAN ISM. brated disputation at Leipsic, in the year 1819, wishing to show his contempt for Luther and his cause, and not dream- ing whereunto this matter of the reformation would grow, first stigmatized 1 the friends of the reformer as Lutherans^ with the same feelings with which we speak of the Owen- ites and Fanny Wright men of our day. The term being regarded as a happy conceit, was soon spread among the enemies of the cause ; and its friends, though opposed to it in principle, responded to the name, because they were not ashamed of their leader. But the name officially adopted by the Lutheran reformers was that of the evangelical church, that is, the gospel church, in antithesis to the legal ritual of the Old Testament, the very name recently adopted by the united Lutheran and Reformed church in Prussia. Luther himself, like the great apostle of the Gentiles, protested most decidedly against the use of his name as the Shib- bolet of a sect, and it is to be regretted that his advice was disregarded. The Lutheran church in this country has, in common with that of our German Reformed brethren, also been distinct- ively termed the German church. This designation must not be understood as implying the limitation of the wor^;.'^ of either of these churches to the German language. It is known to the intelligent hearer, that in different countries, the services of the Lutheran church are conducted in the Swedish, the Norwegian, the Danish, the Icelandic, the Russian and the French, as well as in the English and Ger- man languages. Yet it is true, that as Germany was the cradle of the reformation, she was also the primitive seat of that church, which grew out of the reformation in the land of Luther. Germany is still the most extensive seat of Lutheranism, as sbe also is the land of our fathers. No other foreign country is therefore fraught with such inter- (1) Koecher's Vertheidigung, &c., p. 66, 68. Thus George, the Mar- grave of Brandenburg, when reproached for being a Lutheran, indignantly and nobly replied: "I was not baptized in the name of Luther, he is not my God and Savior, I do not believe in him, and am not saved by him; and therefore, in tbis sense I am no Lutheran. But if I be asked, whether with my heart and lips I profess the doctrines which God restored to light through the instrumentality of his blessed servant, Dr. Luther, I neither hesitate nor am ashamed to call myself a Lutheran. In this sense lam, and as long as I live, will remain a.. Lutheran." PORTRAITURE OF LFTHERANISM. 45 esting and hallowed associations to the great mass of Amer- ican Lutherans as Germany, the mother of the reformation, the cradle of Lutheranism, the land where our fathers pro- claimed the gospel of salvation, where Spener sowed the seed of truth, where Arndt preached and wrote and lived his "True Christianity," where Franke wrought his works of love, and where believing Luther poured his prayer of faith into the lap of God ! But it is not only to Lutheran minds that Germany is encircled with interesting associa- tions. Although the populace are too little acquainted with the fact, yet what intelligent scholar does not know that the Germans constitute one of the most distinguished branches of the human family, and that at different'periods through- out the two thousand years of their national history, they have excelled in all that is truly noble and praise- worthy in heathen virtue, or interesting in the fruits of an enlightened and active Christian piety ? Germany was originally inhabited by a heroic and martial people, whose origin is enveloped in some obscurity. Their language and religion point us to Asia. They certainly proceeded from the north of the Euxine sea, and known as Scythians, Teu- tones, Franks, &c, overspread all Y/estern Europe. The English are both as to language and population, in part de- scended from two of these German tribes, the Anglos and the Saxons, who at an early day conquered Britain, and formed the Anglo-Saxon race, whose lineage is often boasted of by a portion of our citizens. When first visited by the Ro- mans about the time of our Saviour, the Germans had al- ready for ages inhabited the country, and had lost all traces of their earliest history. Divided into many independent tribes, and often engaged in intestine wars, each tribe ac- knowledged no laws but those enacted by the majority at a general council. Far removed from the refinement and lite- rary character of the Romans, they were alike free from their licentiousness and effeminacy. Hospitality and conjugal fidelity were prominent characteristics of the Germans ; and a promise given to friend or foe, they held inviolable, even at the risk of life. They cherished a firm belief of the immor- tality of the soul, and of future retributions. They were in- deed polytheists, but their religion was of the sublimer cast. They neither bowed down to idols, nor worshipped in tem- ples made with hands, but offered their devotions in open 46 PORTRAITURE OF LUTH E R ANISM . groves, under the broad canopy of heaven; for, says the Roman historian, they regarded their gods as too sacred and great to be confined in temples, or represented by idols of wood or stone. 1 Of the different tribes of this numerous family which overspread all western Europe, those only retain the name of Germans, in modern history, who reside in the territory denominated Germany. Their martial spirit rendered diffi- cult the introduction of Christianity among them, which was however effected at least in name successively among the different tribes, from the third to the eighth century. The. forgiving spirit of the gospel gained a tardy victory over their warlike minds; as was strikingly illustrated in the in- stance of Ciovis, 2 king of the Franks, a tribe that settled iii Gaul. On one occasion, whilst Remigius was preaching to them and depicting in glowing colors the sufferings of the Saviour when suspended on the cross, the king, no longer able to restrain his spirit, cried out in the midst of the con- gregation : "Ah, if I had been there with my Franks, the Jews should not have crucified the Lord !" Unhappily the Christianity first introduced among them was strongly tinc- tured with the corruptions of Rome, and in the progress of ages, the Germans participated extensively in the increasing superstitions and degeneracy which reigned at the fountain head. But in the providence of God it was reserved for this heroic and undaunted people, to take the lead in break- ing the bonds by which Europe had for ages been held in subjection. "Whilst," says the distinguished Lutheran his- torian, Dr. Mosheim, " the Roman pontiff slumbered iii se- curity at the head of the church, and saw nothing through- out the vast extent of his dominion but tranquility and submission, and while the worthy and pious professors of genuine Christianity almost despaired of seeing that reforma- tion on which their ardent desires and expectations were bent ; an obscure and inconsiderable person arose, on a sudden, in the year 1517, and laid the foundation of this long-expected change, by opposing with undaunted resolu- tion his single force to the torrent of Papal ambition and des- potism. This remarkable man was Martin Luther, of Eisle- (1) See Sckf beck's Allgenieine, WeltgescMchte, vol. iii, p. 68. (2) Ciovis belonged to the German, Salian tribe. Henke, vol. i, p. 387, PORTRAITURE OF LXTTHEE AKIS M. 47 ben, in Saxony, 1 an Augustinian monk, and professor of the- ology in the university which had been erected at Wittenberg a few years before." It was this interesting people, after they had thrown off the yoke of Rome, and through the instru- mentality of their countryman, Luther, and others, received the pure and unadulterated word of God, that constituted themselves a reformed, an evangelical church, which has been denominated Lutheran. And it is from this interest- ing nation and this church, that the German portion of the Lutherans in this country are descended. The incidents of this interesting revolution, which affected both church and state throughout Europe, we cannot stop even to glance at. It was a revolution not merely of out- ward forms, but of the elementary principles, which bad for ages been the basis of all institutions, both civil and eecle- . siastical. Suffice it to say, that by his ninety-five theses, by his various disputations, by his noble translation of the bible into German, (a work to which even Schiller, confes- sedly one of the greatest masters of the German language, has professed himself much indebted,) by his laborious preaching and teaching, and by his very numerous publica- tions, which Seckendorf enumerates at several hundreds ; Luther and his Spartan band of co-workers, Melancthon, Zwingle, Calvin, and others, accomplished the greatest and most salutary revolution which Europe has witnessed since the commencement of the Christian era ; a revolution, also, to which, in the providence of God, these United States may clearly trace their liberties. Without originally designing a separation from Home, the increasing light which burst in upon his mind, as well as the inflexible opposition of the Papal court to all reform, taught him the necessity of entire separation from that degenerate hierarchy which had corrupted the waters of life, and re- fused to have them purified by the salt of the gospel. The question here arises, was the Romish establishment still a Christian church, or was she antichrist ? And was the ordination valid which Luther obtained in her ? Though lamentably corrupt, we must still regard her as at that time a part of the true church of Christ, because some of the grossest corruptions which prevailed in a part of the (1) Mosheim, vol. iv, p. 25. 48 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. Romish church were not general, and having not yet been received into the official standards of papacy, could not be charged on her as a whole, and did not form a nec- essary part of her system. Such corruptions are the denial of the cup to the laity, canonization of the vulgate version of the scriptures, the elevation of tradition to an equality with the word of God, &c. But when the Council of Trent, about twelve years after the publication of the Augsburg Confession, (1542,) enacted these abuses into integral and essential parts of Romish faith, and required them of all who desired to be members of the Romish church, the marks of antichrist were indelibly impressed upon her, and she lost her claim as a church to Christian recognition. Her ordination of Luther, therefore, in 1507, 1 was valid, and as he renounced her jurisdiction on Dec. 10, 1520, by comit- ting the papal bull of citation to the flames, her subsequent excommunication did not reach him, and he stands as a se- ceder from her communion. 2 Or, if we date the origin of the Lutheran church from 1530, and suppose Luther to have re- mained under Romish jurisdiction till then, when the Augs- burg Confession was published, the ordination of Luther and his associates still remains untouched ; for the papal bull of excomunication in 1 520, being wholly unrighteous and contrary to the word of God, could no more deprive them of their ministerial character, than the decision of the Jewish Sanhedrim against the apostles, commanding them to speak no more in the name of the Lord Jesus ; or the excommunication of the orthodox ministry by the Arians, when they gained a temporary ascendancy in the fourth century, could divest them of their clerical character. The Lutheran and the protestant ministry generally, is therefore as valid as was that of Rome at the time of the reformation, even if we admitted the necessity of a lineal, personal suc- cession from the apostles. As to the doctrine of papal apostolic succession, it is a (1) Luther was ordained on the fourth Sunday after Easter, called, in the old calenders, Sunday Cantate. (2) The bull of citation to repentance and retraction within sixty days, was published June 15, 1520 ; and the final bill of excommunication January 3rd, 1521 , twenty -five days after he publicly renounced .Romanism by burn- ing the former bull. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHE R AN I SM. 49 mere figment, and can never be proved by the Papists themselves. To say nothing of their doctrine of intention, which cardinal Bellarmine himself asserts, 1 renders doubt- ful the validity of every Romish sacrament ; where was their papal succession when Liberius, the occupant of the holy see, professed Arianism, A. D. 357 ? Where was it in the fourteenth century, during the so-called great western schism, from A. D. 1378 to 1414, when two different lines of contending pontiffs reigned simultaneously, each having a portion of the church adhering to him, each excommuni- cating the other, and finally both deposed as heretical and perjured by the Council of Pisa in 1409 ? 2 We admit, indeed, that the existing ministry of the church are ordinarily the proper agents to induct others in- to the sacred office, and thus the propriety of regular min- isterial succession arises. But it is conceded by all, that such succession is found in all the Protestant churches, and therefore their ministry is valid. But the necessity of even this succession or appointment, in some extraordinary cases, it would be difficult to establish. As we learn from our text, the scripture commands us to test those who come un- to us by their doctrines, before we "bid them God speed,'* but does it say any thing about their apostolic succession ? Accordingly, Luther, and many distinguished Lutheran divines, maintain, in accordance with our brethren of the Congregational church, that whenever necessity requires it, the congregation of believers have the power to elect and constitute one of their number as pastor. 3 Having thus glanced at the origin of the Lutheran church, we proceed to inquire, I. What were her primitive features ? The first feature embraces the fundamental principle adopted by the church. " The great and leading principle of the Lutheran church," says Dr. Mosheim, 4 " is that the holy scriptures are the only source, whence we are to draw our religious sentiments, (1) Bellarm. Lib. Just. cap. 8. Sacramentum non conficiatur sine in- tentione ministri, et intentionem alterius nemo videre possit. See Wad- dell's Letters to editor of Catholic Miscellany, p. 13; New York, 1830. (2) See Appendix, note A. (3) See Appendix, note G. (4) Vol. in, p. 208 of his Eccles. Hist. 5 50 PORTRAITURE OF L UT HE R AN I SM. whether they relate to faith or practice ; and that these in- spired writings are, in all matters that are essential to salva- tion, so plain, and so easy to be thoroughly understood, that their signification may be learned, without the aid of an expos- itor, by every person of common sense, who has a competent knowledge of the language in which they are composed. There are indeed certain formularies adopted by this church, which contain the principal points of its doctrine, ranged for the sake of method and perspicuity, in their natural order. But these books have no authority but what they derive from the scriptures of truth, whose sense and meaning they are designed to convey." This was the noble principle adopted by the Lutheran church, a principle which has the cordial assent of every Lutheran in the present da}^, and in re- gard to which our only regret is, that though it was adopted in theory by all the Protestant churches, not one of them had yet light and grace and charity enough consistently to practice it. The principal books here referred to as subsidiary to the bible, were of two classes : first, the confessions of the prim- itive centuries, the so-called Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Confession, by which the Luth- eran church established her identity with the church of the apostolic and succeeding ages ; and, secondly, the Augsburg Confession, composed by Melancthon, and presented before the Emperor Charles V., at the diet in 1530; the Apology or Defense of this Confession by the same hand ; the Smal- cald Articles by Luther, and also his Catechisms. The prominent doctrines taught in these books, may be regarded as the second feature. They are none other than those commonly termed the doctrines of the Reformation, the doctrines which, with few variations, are held in common by all the so-called orthodox churches. They are among others the following : First. The doctrine of the trinity of persons in one God- head ; or to use the language of the Augsburg Confession, " That there is one divine essence which is called and is God, eternal, incorporeal, indivisible, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness — and yet that there are three persons, w T ho are of the same essence and power and are co-eternal, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." 1 (1) Art. i. p. 44 of Popular Theology. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. 51 Secondly. These books also teach the proper and eternal divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ in all its amplitude. Their language is : That the Word, that is, the Son of God* as- sumed human nature, in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary, so that the two natures, human and divine, inseparably united into one person, constitute one Christ, who is true God and man." 1 Thirdly. The universal depravity of our race. Their lan- guage is : "Since the fall of Adam, all men who are natural- ly engendered, are born with a depraved nature, that is, without the fear of God, or confidence towards him, but with sinful propensities." 2 Fourthly. On the Atonement they teach its vicarious nature and unlimited extent. Says the Augsburg Confession : "The Son of God, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and . was buried, that he might reconcile the Father to us, and be a sacrifice not only for original sin, but also for all the actual sins of men." He also sanctifies "those who believe in him, by sending into their hearts the Holy Spirit, who governs, consoles, quickens and defends them against the devil and the power of sin." 3 Fifthly. On Justification they teach, "That men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits or works ; but that they are justified gratuitously, for Christ's sake, through faith." 4 Sixthly. Concerning a Holy Life, or Good Works, they teach, "That this faith must bring forth good fruits; and that it is our duty to perform those good works which God has commanded, because he has enjoined them, and not in the expectation of thereby meriting justification before him." 5 Seventhly. Concerning The Ministerial Office and the Means of Grace, the Augsburg Confession declares : "In order that we may obtain this faith, the ministerial office has been instituted, whose members are to preach the gospel and ad- minister the sacraments," (namely, baptism and the Lord's supper.) " For through the instrumentality of the word and sacraments, as means of grace, the Holy Spirit is given, (1) Art. iii. p. 130 (2) Art. ii. p. 123. (3) Aug. Confession, Art. iii. p. 131. (4) Art. iv. p. 131. (5) Aug. Confession, Art. vi. p. 165. 5g PORTRAITURE OF, LUTHERAN ISM. who in his own time and place, produces faith in those who hear the gospel message, namely, that God, for Christ's sake, and not on account of any merit in us, justifies those who believe in Christ." 1 And, finally, of the Future Judgment, and icorld of retribu- tion, the same Confession teaches, 2 that at the end of the world, Christ will appear for judgment ;, that he will raise all the dead ; that he will give to the pious and elect eternal life and endless joys : but will condemn wicked men and devils to be punished without end/' Such are the prom- inent doctrines avowed by the Lutheran church in the beginning, all of which are at this day received by the entire Lutheran church in this country. The third feature is her government. " The Govern- ment of the Lutheran church," (in Europe,) says Dr. Mosheim ;" 3 seems equally removed trom episcopacy on the one hand and from Presbyterianism on the other, if we except the kingdoms of Sweden and Denmark, which retain the. form of ecclesiastical government that preceded the Re- formation, purged indeed from the superstitions and abuses that rendered it so odious. 4 The Lutherans are persuaded that there is no law of divine authority which points out a distinction between the ministers of the gospel with respect to rank, dignity or prerogatives : and therefore they recede from episcopacy" 5 On the other hand, the early reformers having been trained under the aristocratic governments of Europe, and accustomed to the imparity of Romanism, re- garded some diversity in the authority, rank and duties of ministers as conducive to order and harmony. Hence, with the universal acknowledgment of the parity of ministers by divine right, they introduced some subordination on the (1) Art. v. p. 148. (2) Aug;. Confession, Art. xvii. p. 288 (3) Eccl. History, vol. iii. p. 211, 212. (4) On this subject. Dr. Maclaine, the distinguished translator of Mos- heim 's History, uses this language : " The archbishop of Upsal is primate of Sweden, and the only archbishop among the Lutherans. The luxury and licentiousness that too commonly flow from the opulence of the Roman Catholic clergy, are unknown in these two northern states ; since the revenues of the prelate now mentioned, do not amount to more than four hundred pounds yearly, while those of the bishops are proportionabl) small." Vol. iii. p. 211. (5) Mosheim's Eccl. History, vol. iii. p. 212. PORTRAITURE F LUT HE R ANI S M. 53 ground of human expediency, and designated those to whom the supervision of certain districts was confided, superintendents, consistorial counsellors, inspectors, &c. In the United States entire parity is maintained, and even the nominal office of Senior Ministerii, is retained by only one out of all our synods. And as Dr. Henke very justly remarks, the assertion, that Sweden and Denmark retained the office of bishop, can be made only by special latitude of speech, by using the term bishop for an office divested of the mystic idea of higher or holier dignity, sometimes attached to the name. 1 Even in what was then the dutchy of Prussia, two of these officers were still termed bishops, fifty years after the Reformation, namely, the Pomesanisch and the Samlcendisch bishops. 2 And Frederick William, the late king of Prussia, amid other arbitrary acts of inter- ference with ecclesiastical matters, again conferred the title of diocesan bishop on several favorites, much to the dis- pleasure of the great mass of German divines. In this country, although our ministers are strenuous advocates of parity, they pretty extensively favor the idea of returning to the use of the word bishop in its scriptural sense, in which, according to the concession of many of the most distinguish- ed advocates of inparity, it was synonymous with elder, or preacher, and is applicable to every minister of the gospel ; the sense in which as Luke informs us, instead of one bishop having oversight over a large district of country or diocese, there were several bishops in the one city Ephesus." 3 In Europe, where the unhappy union between church and state, established by the emperor Constantine in the fourth century, still continues, the civil rulers exercise more or less influence in all the churches. But in this country, the Luth eran church in common with her Protestant sister churches, deprecates as unwarranted and dangerous all interference of civil government in religious affairs ; excepting the mere protection of all denominations and all individuals in the unrestricted right to worship in any and every way they think proper. (1) Hencke's Kirchengesehichte, B. iii. s. 303. (2) Henke, iii. p. 364. (3) Acts. xx. 28. To the elders, i. e. ministers of Ephesus, Paul say? : "Take heed of the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over- seers," or as the Greek is, bishops. 5a 54 PORTRAITURE OF L UTHE RANIS M. The fourth feature of Lutheranism, is found in feer Liturgies and. festivals. In all the different countries of Eu- rope and in America, our churches have liturgies, differing in minor points, but agreeing in essentials. These are used more or less in public worship, and serve as a directory in the performance of the different ministerial functions. These liturgies are about one-third as long as those of the Protest- © © ant Episcopal church ; and, as to character and contents, very similar to them. In the United States, we have adopted a short liturgy, which it is left optional with each minister to use as often or as seldom as he may judge most conducive to edification. In regard to such forms our own impression is, that when properly constructed, they tend to give fixed- ness, tangibility and definiteness to christian worship in the popular mind ; but they should be short, lest when frequent- ly repeated, they tire ; nor should they be exclusively used, lest they degenerate into mere instruments of formality. As to ecclesiastical festivals, of human appointment, those only are observed which were instituted to commemorate the fundamental facts of the christian religion, such as the nativity, death, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. As Christianity is a religion based upon these facts ; it is important that the recollection of them, in their literal, historical import, be cherished by her professors. And as ministers rarely preach once a year on each of these topics, unless called on by some such custom ; we re- gard the influence of these festivals as salutary in their appropriate design ; and the abuses which are practiced on them in some places by the irreligious, are not necessary consequences of them, and should be obviated. But this portraiture of Lutheranism would be incomplete, were we to omit the fifth feature, her particular attention to the religious instruction of the children of the church, and habit of calling on them, when they attain years of discre- tion, personally to confirm and assume the vows made for them at their baptism. The Lutheran church, believing that God has not revoked in the ISTew Testament, the insti- tution of infant membership in his church, which he estab- lished in the Old, receives into her bosom both the actual and adopted children of professed believers, by the initiatory rite of baptism, according to the Saviour's command. Hav- PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERAN1SM. 55 ing thus received them, she treats them accordingly. From the days of the Reformation the Lutheran church inculcated it as a principal duty of her ministers and members to provide for the adequate instruction of the children of the church in the doctrines of our holy religion. In this country, where in most cases, each minister has charge of three or four churches, his personal instructions cannot well reach all the children with sufficient frequency ; yet it is regarded as the duty of every minister, occasionally to convene the children of each consreo-ation for instruction in the catechism : and that minister will prove most success- ful, and best deserve the confidence of his charge, who, by the establishment of a Sabbath School in every congregation, and the employment of the pious members of his charge, brings the lambs of, his flock, and all others who are with- 1 out a shepherd, and are appropriately within' the sphere of his labors, under full and stated influence of the doctrines and precepts of the gospel. Annually also, and if necessary oftener, the minister holds a series of meetings with those who are applicants for admission to sacramental communion, or as in reference to the infant baptism of the applicant, it is called, confirmation. To these meetings are invited all who feel a concern for their salvation, and especially all those subjects of infant baptism, who have attained years of discretion. "Every meeting is opened by singing and prayer, and closed by. an address to the throne of grace. The time of the first meeting, is chiefly occupied by the pastor in explaining the object of the contemplated course of instruction in as solemn and impressive a manner as possible. This object he states to be, not merely the ac- quisition of doctrinal knowledge — nor merely the admission to the Lord's table ; for Paul tells us, that many eat and drink judgment to themselves. But says the zealous pas- tor who feels the eternal importance of this solemn occa- sion, the object is to show you in so plain and simple a manner, that you cannot fail to understand it, the natural depravity of your hearts, your habitual and base rebellion against your best benefactor, your father and your God, and your danger of being shut out forever from his blissful presence ; to show" you that you must be born again, or be eternally excluded from the kingdom of heaven, and to give you such instructions and directions from day to day, as will 56 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. if faithfully pursued, sooner or later, certainly eventuate in your conversion to God. 1 Every succeeding meeting is occupied in conversational lectures on experimental religion, and in the examination of the catechumen on the funda- mental doctrines and duties of religion as contained in the bible and Luther's Catechism. These meetings afford to the faithful pastor better opportunities of access to the hearts of the rising generation in his church, than are en- joyed by any denomination who neglect this practice. At the close of these meetings, which are continued through from six to twelve weeks once or twice each week, and in the last if convenient daily, the church council are convened to examine the catechumens on their qualifications for sacramental communion. It is here that our practice is sometimes less rigid than it ought to be. The council should faithfully examine every applicant, and admit none but such as give evidence of living faith in that Redeemer, whose dying love they wish to commemorate. Although in the hands of an unconverted minister this duty, like all others, will be mere formality, and attended with little profit ; yet we have never met, nor do we expect to meet a pious minister, who faithfully practised this system, and did not regard it as a most blessed and successful method of bringing souls to Christ. After an experience and observa- tion of thirty years in the ministry, we cannot but regard this practice faithfully pursued, as one of the glories of the Lutheran church. Having occupied much time in delineating the primitive features of the Lutheran church, a few words must suffice on the subject of III. Her extension. After her establishment in Germany by the labors of Luther, Melancthon and others, about 1525, when the Elector John, of Saxony, first publicly adopted the amended system, the Lutheran doctrines were introduced into Siveden, by the instrumentality of Olaus Petri in 1527, under the sanction of king Gustavus Yasa Ericson. 2 Into Denmark the Lutheran doctrines were fully introduced in 1527, in the (1) Popular Theology, p. 230, 231, ed. 2, (2) See Appendix, note B„ PORTRAITURE OF L UTHE R AN ISM. 57 reign of Frederick, after some preparatory steps by Christiern II. The Lutheran church is also established in Norway, in Lapland, Finland, and Iceland ; and has some congregations in Hungary, France and Asia. In Russia the Lutheran population amounts to 2,600,000 with 500 ministers. 1 In the United States, the first Lutheran churches were established by the Swedes, who emigrated to this country and settled on the banks of the Delaware during the reign of queen Christina, and under the sanction of her prime minister, Oxenstiern, about the year 1636, sixteen or seventeen years after the settlement of New England by the pilgrim fathers, and about thirty years after the establish- ment of an English colony in Virginia. As these churches were few in number, and received no accessions from the mother country, the Swedish language was soon lost by the ■ rising generation, and preaching in the English tongue was necessary long before any of our German pastors officiated in that language. Under these circumstances recourse was had to our Episcopal brethren for English ministrations, and thus these churches gradually became connected with that denomination ; though by their charter they are still styled Swedish Lutheran churches. 2 The next Lutheran establishment was by Lutherans from Holland, who erected a Lutheran church in the city of New York in 1703, in which worship was conducted in the Hol- land, the English, and afterwards also in the German tongue. 3 The first German Lutheran churches in this country, were regularly organized by Rev. Messrs. Bolzius and Gronau, in 1733; and in 1742, hj Henry Mel chior Muhlenberg, one of the patriarchs of American Lutheranism. This indefati- gable and talented servant of Christ, whilst located in the city of New York, was in the habit of preaching in the German, the Holland, and the English languages, every Lord's day. Had his successors followed his noble exam- ple, and qualified themselves to preach in the English lan- (1) See Reinwald's Repertoriurn. (2) Annals of the Swedes on the Delaware, by Rev. J. C. Clay, p. 3, 4, 161, &c. Also Schubert's Schwedische Kirchenverfassung, vol. ii. p. 439 -442. (3) See "Authentic Account of a Bill in Chancery," New York, p. 4, &c. 58 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHER ANISM. guage wherever it was necessary, the Lutheran church would at this day be twice as numerous in this country as it is. We have, at present, (1840,) about 350 ministers and 1000 churches; 1 and amid the long catalogue of distin- guished divines, who have since wielded the interests and advanced the cause of our Zion, and have entered on their celestial inheritance, what friend of the church does not delight to name a Kunze, a Schmidt, a Kurtz, another Muhlenberg, a Goring, a Helmuth, a Melsheimer, a Storch, an Endress, a Lochman, a Schaeffer, a RuthraufY, a Sho- ber, a Geissenhainer ? The entire Lutheran population in the world is estimated by accurate authors at from 25 to 30,000,000. In literary and theological institutions, in learned theolo- gians, and in a rich and learned theological literature, 2 the Lutheran church has confessedly surpassed all others. Gratitude for the numerous and signal advantages, reaped by the cause of reformation from the superior learning of her advocates, and the obvious facilities rendered by the revival of letters previously to the reformation, taught the Protestant princes to regard learning as a special gift of God, to deliver them from the bondage of the dark ages. Numerous literary institutions were therefore founded at an early day, and others enlarged. Among the former are the universities of Jena (1558,) and Konigsberg ; among the latter Wittenberg and Leipsic. At this day there are in Germany nine universities, wholly Lutheran, 3 one 4 be- longing jointly to the Lutherans and Reformed, and four 8 to the Lutherans, Reformed and Catholics in conjunction. In Sweden there are two Lutheran universities, and in Nor- way one. By the attention of the Protestants to learning and learned institutions, enlightened advocates for the truth were provided, and a pious, learned literature was formed (1) Now, (in 1851,) this number is 771 ministers, and about 1650 con- gregations. Of the ministers, nearly one-half are natives of Germany, lo- cated principally in the Mississippi Valley. (2) See Appendix, note C. (3) Leipsic, Rostock, Greifswalde, Jena, Giessen, Kiel, Halle, Gottingen, and Erlangen universities. (4) At Berlin. (5) Heidelberg, Tubingen, Breslau and. Bonn. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHE RANI S M. 59 at an early day, to spread its purifying and enlightening influence over Europe and the civilized world. Had Lu- ther, Melancthon, Calvin and Zwingle not been men of distinguished learning, they could never have drawn from the stores of sacred and patristic literature, the facts which subverted the corrupt pretensions of the papists, and erected a fabric of truth, which remains to this day the admiration of the world. How incalculably would not the Lutheran church in this country have gained in efficiency, in exten- sion, in respectability, in usefulness, had our fathers a cen- tury, or even fifty years ago, laid the foundation of some of the institutions which have since then been established? Now the Lutheran church in this country has four theolop;- ical seminaries in operation, and at least partially endowed, and one college 1 under its particular patronage. Li the seminary at Gettysburg alone, upwards of one hundred. 2 ministers have been trained in fifteen years, who are now preaching to thousands, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and a large number have proceeded from our other schools of the prophets at Hart wick, at Lexington and at Columbus. Let these institutions therefore share our warmest prayers, and our most zealous efforts ; and let no Lutheran rest sat- isfied, until they are all adequately endowed, We proceed to contemplate TV. The progressive development or improvement of the Lutheran church. Luther had wisely regarded the reformation as unfinished, and exhorted his followers to turn away from his works, and study the bible more attentively. 3 Unfortunately for the cause of truth and peace, the admiration of many of his followers, degenerated into excessive veneration ; and death, which translated him to the abode of peace in heaven, made his writings, the source of rancorous contention on earth, imparted a kind of canonical authority to them. Moreover, (1) The number of Theological Seminaries is now increased to six, and that of the colleges to three., by the erection of institutions at Springfield, Ohio, Hillsborough, Illinois, and Columbus, Ohio. (2) This number has increased to 250. (3) " I have not kept a list of my publications, nor have I all the works themselves; for I desire much rather that the Bible alone should be studied instead of my works." — Letter to Ursinus, 1527; Thl. 21. p. 1031. 60 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHER AN ISM. as the church, established by his instrumentality, was desig- nated by his name, his works gradually were regarded as the standards of orthodoxy, and all attempts to continue the work of reformation so gloriously commenced by him, were denounced as treason to his cause ! ! " Even, during his lifetime," says the distinguished historian Henke, "there were some who followed him with a slavish servility. A species of canonization of this great man had already taken place ; and he was not unfrequently known by the names, niegalander, man of God, second Elias, the last prophet, &c. ; and when he died, it seemed as if an oracle had been struck dumb." Had not the church been denominated by the name of this distinguished servant of Christ ; had not his works but the bible been regarded as the grand source of religious light, as the grand subject of continued study; and had the Augsburg Confession alone been received as an auxiliary test ; the church would have enjoyed much more peace, and the whole field of doctrine, except the few points deter- mined in that confession, would have been open to free continued study and scrutiny in the light of Cod's word. But instead of finding fault with those theological heroes, who vanquished the hosts of Rome, for not accomplishing every thing ; we should be grateful to God that they were enabled to effect so much. The first feature of improvement to which we will advert, is the entire rejection of the authority of the Fathers in ecclesi- astical controversy. The grand mistake of the earlier reform* ers was their appeal to this authority. They were, indeed, enabled with these weapons, to overturn the corruptions in- troduced into the church after the rise of the papal hierar- chy ; but they also compelled themselves to retain such er- rors as were of earlier date. The writings of the fathers in- stead of being good authority for scripture doctrine, are a perfect labyrinth of theological errors, from which it is im- possible to escape with safety, and in which we look in vain for that unanimons consent which Rome has so loudly boast- ed. But it is easy to establish by the authority of Ante- nicene fathers, the several errors retained by the earlier reformers, and since rejected by the mass of Protestants. In short it is a principle which the experience of ages has clearly established, that in all controversies about the PORTRAITURE OF LUTHER ANISM. 61 proper doctrines, or duties, or forms of Christianity, the bible, the whole bible, and nothing but the bible, must be the armor of the Protestant. To concede to Romanists or oth- ers the necessity of an appeal to patristic authority, is a tacit denial of the word of God, as the sufficient and only rule of faith and practice, the only ground on which Protest- antism can be permanently and triumphantly sustained. Another feature of improvement in the Lutheran church consists in her no longer requiring assent to the doctrine of the real presence of the Saviour in Vie eucharist. 1 On this subject her views have not unfrequently been misapprehended and misstated. It is indeed true, that she did entertain opinions on this topic different from the other churches. This differ- ence was however by no means so great as is at present sup- posed by the less intelligent part of the community. Calvin and the early English reformers, employed language nearly, and in some cases, quite as strong as that found in the Lutheran symbols. The Augsburg Confession affirms, ' ' that the body and blood of Christ are actually present {yere adsint), and the German copy adds, under the form or em- blems of bread and wine and dispensed to the communicants." 2 Calvin employs language about as strong : he says in the mystery of the supper, by the emblems of bread and wine, Christ is really exhibited to us, that is, his body and blood, in which he yielded full obedience, in order to work out a righteousness for us ; by which, in the first place, we may, as it were, coalesce into one body with him; and, secondly, being made partakers of the substance of himself, also be strengthened by the reception of every blessing. 3 In (1) From this, and the other items of this part of our discourse, the in- telligent reader will perceive what gross misrepresentations are circulated, ignorantly we trust, hy the publishers of Buck's Theological Dictionary, and by such living authors as Mr. Goodrich, (in his Eccles. Hist.) who represent the L nth era a church of the present day, as resembling the Ro- man Catholics more nearly than does any other Protestant ohurch ! After the repeated publications, made by the Lutherans in this country, it is un- worthy of professed historians to transmit to yet another • generation these hereditary statements. As to the private ministers, who occasionally in- form their hearers, that their Lutheran neighbors believe in consubstantia- tion, &c. as we wish not to impute intentional misrepresentation, we must attribute their error to want of information. (2) Augsburg Confession, Art. x. (3) Dico igitur in coeuce mysterio per symbola panis et vini Christum vere nobis exhiberi, adeoque Corpus et sanguinem ejus, in puibus omnem 6 62 PORTRAITURE OP LUTHER ANlSM. the Episcopal church, Cranmer, one of her earliest and ablest reformers, in the reign of Henry VIII., published his translation of the catechism of Justus Jonas, with amendments, in 1 548, to which he professed to adhere till his death, 1 and in which he uses this language: "Christ saith of the bread 'this is my body;' and of the cup he saith 'this is my blood/ "Wherefore we ought to believe that in the sacrament we receive truly the body and blood of Christ. For God is almighty ; he is able, therefore, to do all things what he will." 2 His friend and fellow martyr, Ridley, at his last trial says : "I agree that 'the sacrament is the very true and natural body and blood of Christ, even that which was born of the Virgin Mary, which ascended into heaven, which sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father, which shall come from thence to judge the quick and the dead, only I differ in the way and manner of being," 3 &c. It is admitted, these same writers professed to mean a spiritual presence, and so did also the Lutheran reformers, who explicitly declare in the Formula Concordicef "By that word (spiritually) we exokide those Capemaitish notions concerning a gross and carnal presence, which have been attributed to our churches by the sacramentarians, in defiance of all our public protestations against them. And when we use this term, (spiritually,) we wish to be under- stood as signifying that the body and blood are received, and eaten, and drank spiritually in the Lord's supper. For although the participation is effected by the mouth, the man- ner in which it is done is spiritual." At the present day, it is pretty generally agreed by Protestants, that to talk of the spiritual presence of a material body, or the spiritual eat- ing and drinking of a material body and blood, is to employ language that conveys no distinct ideas. We, however, cheerfully concede that the other Protestant denominations relinquished these views of their early reformers, more ol>edientiam pro comparanda nobis justitia adimplevit : quo scilicet, prim- um, in unum corpus cum ipso coalescamus ; deinde participes substantise ejus facit, in bonorum omnium communicatione virtutem quoque sentia- mus. — Institut. Lib. iv. c. xvii. 11. (1) See his works, ii. 440 ; iii. 13, 279, 344; and Hook's Discourse, p. 96. (2) Hook, p. 96. (3) Hook's Discourse, p. 99. . r- (4) Art. vii, No. 21, p. 604. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERAKISM. 63 speedily and with less controversy than did the Lutheran church. It was indeed reported that Lu^ier himself shortly before his death, in a confidential conversation with Melanc- thon, acknowledged that he had gone too far in regard to the eucharist. But, much as we should be pleased to be- lieve that our great and good reformer had made such an acknowledgment, the evidence appears unsatisfactory; or at most, he may have admitted, that he had exhibited too much warmth in the controversy, or overrated the import- ance of his peculiar views. 1 At the present day, whilst some shades of difference exist in the Lutheran church, all are permitted to enjoy their opinions in peace, and the most generally received view, if we mistake not, is : "That there is no presence of the glorified human nature of the Saviour, either substantial or influential ; nor any thing mysterious or supernatural in the eucharist ; yet, that whilst the bread and wine are merely symbolic representations of the Sa- viour's absent body, by which we are reminded of his suf- ferings, there is also a special spiritual blessing bestowed by the divine Saviour on all worthy communicants, by which their faith and Christian graces are confirmed. 2 The third item of improvement is the relinquishment of a much abused custom connected with the preparation for communion. The reformers and their successors had sub- stantially repudiated as unscriptural and corrupting what constituted the essential features of Romish private confes- sion, namely : the pretence that the priest is in the place of God ; that every individual sin, even the secret thoughts and feelings of the heart must be individually detailed to the priest, as essential to pardon ; and that the priest possesses the absolute power to forgive these sins. Yet the reformers deemed it useful, that before communion, each communi- cant should have a private interview with the pastor, and give him an account of the state of his soul, and his pro- gress in the divine life ; in order that the minister might give him instruction and advice, and if the case warranted it, encourage the applicant with the promise of pardon from God. This custom, in order to give as little offense as pos- (1) It is said, Melancthon communicated the fact to Professor Alesius, of Leipsic, from whom Pfuhlrnan, one of his students, heard it. (2) See the Author's Popular Theology, p. 303, 5th ed. 64 PORTRAITURE OF LUTH ER ANIS M. sible, they denominated, though very inappropriately, con- fession. They had rejected the thing, and therefore it would have been more consistent not to retain the name. Yet, against this custom, it would be difficult to allege any valid objection, except its misapprehension and consequent abuse by the ignorant. Thus explained, confession was approved by Calvin, 1 Peter Martyr, 2 Werenfels, 3 Heidegger, 4 Hornbeck, 5 Jurien, 6 and other distinguished Reformed di- vines. But even this custom has been almost entirely aban- doned, and the .preparation for communion consists in a public preparatory discourse, public and united confession of sins, and rehearsal of the promises of divine mercy, sim- ilar to the preparatory exercises of other churches. The only difference is, that in the Lutheran and Episcopal churches, which use liturgies, these exercises of confession of sins and exhibition of, divine promises of pardon, are conducted according to a settled form, whilst in others they are extemporaneous. Yet in the numerous Lutheran litur- gies we have seen, including those of Sweden 7 and Norway, the minister never professes to forgive sins himself, nor even to announce the divine promises of pardon unconditionally to all, but limits them to truly penitent believers ; whilst the impenitent and unbelieving are expressly told that God will not pardon their sins, but inflict deserved punishment on them. This formal annunciation of the divine promise of forgiveness, thus conditionally made, is edifying to intelli- gent minds, especially as the Saviour himself, in the Words of the institution., mentions "remission of sins" as the de- sign of that death which we are to commemorate in the eucharist. Yet as it is easily perverted into certain pardon by the less informed, who may erroneously conceive them- selves penitent, and as the scriptures contain no special promise of pardon at communion, more than in the perform- ance of any other duty ; the utmost caution should be ob- served against misapprehension, and the annunciation itself (1) Institutions, Christ. Relig; Lib. iii. cap. iv. 12, 13; see Appendix note E. (2) Loci Theologici, De Poenitentia, p. 1023. (3) Opusc. Theol. Philosph. et Philolog. Tom. ii. p v 320. (4) Manuduct. in viam concorgire Protestantium, Diatr. i. § 20, p. 39. (5) Koecher's Vertheidigung, p. 529. (6) Consultat.. de pace Protest. Pt. ii. cap. xiii. p. 272. (7) Shubert's Schwedische Kirehenverfassung, vol. ii. p. 63. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHEKAS1SM. 65 is veiy properly often thrown into the form of a prayer, 1 as is also done in the Episcopal liturgy. The fourth item of improvement is the entire rejection of every remnant of papal superstition in the administration of baptism. The Romanists maintain, that unbaptised persons are possessed by evil spirits, and that the priest possesses the power by adjuration to expel them. This ceremony, termed exorcism, is performed by the priest with a multitude of formalities. Luther, and the other early reformers, re- jected both these principles ; yet retained some kind of ad- juration as a symbolic acknowledgment of the natural de- pravity of all men. To this they were probably led by their lingering regard for the early fathers. For, something of this kind was practiced even in the third century, when the corrupting influence of the New Platonists was first felt in the church ; and it was defended by such men as Cyprian 2 and Augustine. 3 Yet many of our churches were from the beoinnino; unwilling to retain the semblance of this ceremony, even as a declaration of natural depravity, and accordingly it was totally rejected from the liturgy and di- rectory for worship, published at Augsburg seven years after the celebrated diet of that place, namely in 1537; as also in that of Strasburg, published in 1 543, of Nuremberg, published in the same year, and in many others. 4 In dif- ferent kingdoms it was long since wholly rejected, whilst in others, phraseology more or less resembling it was long retained. The fifth item of improvement in the Lutheran church is the more systematic adjustment of her doctrines. Luther was so incessantly employed in the great work of reforming the church from the corruptions and superstitions of Rome, that he had little leisure for abstract reflections on the re- ciprocal relations of the scripture doctrines, and on the (1) c: Almighty God. our Heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him, have mercy upon you ; pardon and deliver you. from all your sins ; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness ; and bring you to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." — Episco- pal Communion Service, p. 155. (2) Epist. 69, p. 187; Epist. 75, p. 223. (3) In Lib. de Fide et operibus, cap. vi. and Lib. 7, cap. 34, contra Pe» lagium, Lib. ii. cap. 40, and Koecher's Vertheidigung, p. 509. (4) Siegel's Handbuch, vol. ii. p. 6S6. 6a 66 PORTRAITURE OF L UTHE RANIS M. entire and minute consistency of his views with each other. It is certain that in the earlier part of his life, he believed the Augustinian view of predestination. His work, on the Bondage of the Will, published in 1525, must put this ques- tion to rest. But he at the same time entertained other views inconsistent with this. Melanchton, who had em- braced Luther's unadjusted views of doctrine, led the way in the process of harmonizing their conflicting elements, by the rejection of absolute predestination. Luther himself adopted these modifications, and long before he died, preached and taught what have ever since been the doctrines of the Lu- theran standards. The particulars of this interesting pro- cess are detailed in Dr. Plank's invaluable History of the Rise, Changes and Formation of the Protestant System of Doctrines. 1 During the reign of infidelity in Europe, when an unbaptized philosophy had desecrated the sanctuary of God, and so far effaced all lineaments and extinguished all attachment to genuine p^otestant Christianity, that even a Buonaparte could contemplate as a matter of state policy the re-establishment of the Romish religion over all protest- ant Germany ; 2 the doctrines of great reformers Avere for- saken by many. But thanks be to God, the cause of truth is again prospering, orthodoxy is again preponderant in Germany ; and in the Lutheran church in this country the great doctrines of the reformation are taught as universally, as in any other denomination of Christians in our land. The sixth feature of improvement is the adoption of a more regular and rigid system of church government and discipline in this country. The union between church and state has prevented the adoption of an independent and thoroughly scriptural discipline in the Lutheran, as well as in all the other established churches of Europe. Kings and princes are not willing to be disciplined by humble minis- ters and lay elders. Accordingly, the systems of discipline in different provinces and kingdoms are different, and gene- rally very lax. In this country our General Synod has adopted and recommended a system, which, it is believed, contains all the prescriptions of the Saviour and his apostles, (1) Dr. Plank's Geschichte &c, vol. vi. p. 806—809. See Appendix. No. H. (2) Butler's Reminiscences, p. 200. PORTRAITURE OF LUTHE R AN ISM, 67 and all that appeared most valuable in the systems of the different other churches. The government and discipline of each individual church, is essentially like that of our Presbyterian brethren. Our Synods, also, in structure and powers, most resemble their Presbyteries, having fewer for- malities in their proceedings, and frequently couching their decisions in the form of recommendations. Our General Synod is wholly an advisory body, resembling the conso- ciations of the Congregational churches in New England. In addition to these regular ecclesiastical bodies, constitu- ting our system of government, we having special Confer- ences, for the purpose of holding stated protracted meetings. These are subdivisions of Synods, containing ordinarily from five to ten ministers each, who are annually to hold several protracted meetings within the bounds of their dis- trict. The chief object of these meetings is, to awaken and convert sinners, and to edify believers by close, practical preaching. This feature mainly resembles the quarterly meetings of our Methodist brethren, and presents to pious and zealous ministers, who are thirsting for the salvation of souls, the most direct opportunity they can desire, to glorify God, and advance his spiritual kingdom. Yet all these meetings are to be conducted as the scriptures enjoin, "de- cently and in order." 1 This system of government is not yet adopted by all our Synods ; yet its general features, with perhaps a greater admixture of Congregationalism, substantially pervade those Synods also, which have not yet united with the General Synod. The last item of improvement to which we shall refer, is the practice of the Lutheran church in this country, not to bind her ministers to the minutiae of anv human creed. (1) The views of Christian, order in worship, inculcated by our standards, may be seen from chap. vii. see. 1, of our Formula. -'These meetings (prayer meetings) may be held in the church, school-house, or in private houses ; and their object is the spiritual edification of the persons present; but the utmost precaution must ever be observed, that God, who is a Spirit, be worshipped in spirit and in truth ; that they be characterized by that solemnity and decorum wbich ought ever to attend divine worship, and that no disorder be tolerated, or any thing that is calculated to interrupt the devotions of those who are convened, or prevent their giving the full est attention to him who is engaged in leading the meeting, — in short, that according to tbe injunction of the apostle, all things be done :; de- cently and in order. 3 ' 68 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. The bible and the belief that the fundamental doctrines of the bible are taught in a manner substantially correct in the Augs- burg Confession, is all that is required. On the one hand, we regard it as certain, that if we would be faithful to the injunction of our text, "not to receive any who come to us bringing another doctrine," an examination of applicants for admission among us is indispensable. Such an exam- ination is virtually a requisition of their creed, that we may compare it with our own. Now, whether the articles to which we require their assent be few or many, be written or oral, they are a creed, and obviously its reduction to paper, presents some material facilities in the examination. A written creed, therefore, seems necessary to the purity of the church. On the other hand, history informs us, that for several hundred years after the days of the apostles, no other creed was used in the whole church than that called the Apostles' Creed, because admitted by all to contain the principal doctrines taught by the apostles. This creed em- bodied only the cardinal doctrines of the gospel, which all the so called orthodox denominations of the present day do actually believe ; and yet the assent to these few doctrines did for centuries after the apostolic age, secure admission to any and every part of the Catholic, that is, the universal church on earth. By what authority then did the several Protestant denominations after the Reformation adopt creeds ten, and some of them, a hundred times as long as that used in the earlier ages, and require assent to these interminable instruments as a condition of admission to their churches ? The bible certainly confers no such authority. But does the experience of three centuries prove their influence to be salutary? Have they not rather been the occasion of endless strife in all the churches adopting them? Have they not proved wedges of dissension to split asunder the body of Christ ? It is matter of historical certainty, that the orthodox denominations of the present day coincide as much in doctrinal views, as did the Christians in the golden age of Christianity. If they could walk together in love, and their minor differences created no difficulty then ; why should not Christians in the present day unite in the same manner, instead of rending the body of Christ asunder, creating separate and conflicting interests among breth- ren in Christ, alienation and prosecutions for minor differ- PORTRAITURE OF LXTTHE R ANISM. 69 ences, whicli would not have been noticed in the apostolic, and primitive, and purest age of the church. The duty of all parts of the Christian church seems therefore to be, to return to the use of shorter doctrinal creeds as tests of ec- clesiastical, ministerial, and sacramental communion. This noble course the Lutheran church has already virtually taken, by requiring assent only to the fundamental doctrines of the Augsburg Confession, together with an approval of our principles of government and worship. This course cannot fail to promote brotherly love, and fraternal appre- ciation between different denominations, by giving promi- nence to their actual unity in doctrine, and restoring a proper unity of spirit among the disciples of Christ. Hap- py, thrice happy too is the Lutheran church, that she, who was first to cast off the yoke of Roman superstition and Oppression, should lead the way in breaking the bonds of Protestant sectarianism ; be first in practically teaching the world: that the apostolic injunction to, "receive a brother - that is weak in the faith, but not for the purpose of doubt- ful disputation," does not mean to prosecute and expel him. And happy are all in every denomination who raise their voice in behalf of the lacerated body of Christ, and teach Christians to remember the solemn injunction of the Sa- viour to love one another ; and not only to profess but to practise the principle of our blessed Lord, "one is our Mas- ter Christ, and ye are all brethren." Such, my brethren, are the features of the Lutheran church, oY"that church, to whose service this chaste and beautiful edifice has been dedicated. She may be emphat- ically styled the church of the Reformation. She holds the grand doctrines of Christianity, with fewer appended peculiarities than most other denominations. With the Cal- vinist she holds the graciousness of salvation ; with the Congregationalist she believes that Christ tasted death for every man ; with the Methodist she approves of regularly recurring protracted meetings ; with the Episcopalian she occasionally employs a liturgy and forms of prayer ; with the German Reformed she agre-es in the instruction and confirmation of Catechumens ; and with all she unites in ascribing all the glory of our privileges on earth and hopes in heaven, to that Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. Long may those blessed doctrines be taught 70 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHEEANISM. within these sacred walls ! Long may they be taught throughout our favored land, purifying and elevating our political and social institutions, providing for our citizens, security of person and property, and especially the privi- lege of worshiping God under our own vine and fig tree, making it the land of refuge to the virtuous oppressed of all nations. APPENDIX. Note A. to page 49. , TESTIMONY, OF CARDINAL BARONIUS ON PAPAL APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. "What was then (in the tenth century) the aspect of the holy Romish church? How extremely filthy was she, (fce- dissima!) When the most powerful and obscene prostitutes governed at Rome ; and at their pleasure, the occupants of the holy seat were changed, bishops were appointed, and what is unutterably horrible to hear, their paramours were thrust into the chair of St. Peter as false pontiffs, who are introduced into the catalogue of popes only for the purpose of making a record of the times. For who could pronounce those to be legitimate Roman pontiffs, who were thus in- truded by these prostitutes, contrary to law ? There is not the least mention made of their having been elected by the clergy, or of their election having been afterward sanc- tioned by them. All the canons were passed over in silence ; the decrees of the popes were suppressed; the ancient usages and rules for the election of the popes, as well as the solemn rites and ceremonies were altogether abolished. Annalium ecclesiast. Tom. X. ad An. 912 num. 8 p. 685. apud Kcecher's Yertheidigung, p. 124. Note G. to page 49. MINISTERIAL ORDINATION. The subject of ministerial ordination has been involved in some extraneous and unnecessary difficulty, partly by the PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. 71 incidental usage of language, partly by the progress of super- stition in the lapse of ages, and. partly by the introduction of diocesan episcopacy into the Christian church in the sec- ond century. The term ordination (ordinatid) has, in the Christian church, generally acquired a technical character, and is used to designate the specific method or formalities with which it is customary in any particular church to : in- vest a candidate or licentiate with the ministerial office. But in the New-Testament, no such a technical word is found. On the contrary, different words are used in the several passages, and all of them are appellative terms, sig- nifying merely to appoint, to induct, or to admit ; and they are also applied to other objects. In some cases, the laying on of hands is mentioned, as the method by which the indi- vidual was set apart; and it was the superstitious notion of after ages,- that some mystic influence was imparted by "the laying on of the hands," which probably led the Romish church to exalt this rite into a- sacrament. .This error, the Reformers rejected and brought back the ceremony to" its original simplicity. -. ' . To ordain, according to the New Testament, merely sig- nifies to induct into .the sacred office. It implies, that some care was exercised, and not every one indiscriminately al- lowed to perform the duties of the sacred office ; but it does not in the least imply that any particular influence or power is transmitted by lineal succession from, the apostles. ., As to the persons who are, to perform this rite, that is, are to induct others into the sacred office, we find that Paul and Barnabas, in traveling through Antioch and other places, ''chose- (ordained) elders for them." Paul and Bar- nabas had been set apart for the missionary work by' the laying on of the hands,. not of a diocesan bishop, but of certain prophets, and teachers ; namely, Simeon, Lucius, %nd Manaen. Timothy was inducted (ordained) by the laying on of the hands, not of a bishop of a diocese, "but of the ministry; that is, eldership, or, to retain the Greek word, the presbytery." In several cases, also, individual: minis- ters, such as Timothy and Titus, were directed to induct (ordain) others. .-..,- The principal passages involved in the. subject of ordina- tion, are the following, from which the reader may • learn the scripture aspect of this rite. 72 PORTRAITURE OF LUTHERANISM. Acts xiv. 23. And when they (Paul and Barnabas) had ordained (^sS^orovrjo'avTStf-, had chosen; from x si i» nan d> an d tsjvw, to stretch forth, voting by uplifted hand ; De Wette, erwahlet. ££e 2 Cor. viii. 19, where the same word is ren- dered " chosen" in our common version) elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they com- mended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, (^sC^uti^is, the eldership, that is, of the ministers, not of a diocesan bishop.) 1 Tim. v. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man, (x S1 ^ Acts xiii. 3. And when they (that is, not bishops, but "certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, and Lucius, and Manaen, v. 1) had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, (sflridsv$V THE R AN IS M. 117 • 6. Finally, their synodical meetings and special confer- ences were conducted in such a manner, as to prove them the ardent friends of spiritual religion, and of religious re- vival. The light in which they viewed these meetings, is indicated by the minute made of one of them in 1760, after the discussion of the question, whether it is useful and ne- cessary that the annual meetings of the ministers and elders should be continued. " It is necessary (say they,) in order that the servants of one master and laborers in one vine- yard, may become acquainted with each other, may become more closely united in love, and in mutual consultation con- cerning the best interests of the church (ecclesiae- plantan- dae, ) and the propagation of the Christian religion. They are useful, in order that each individual may communicate the grace and gift he has received, for the common good,— that they may encourage, admonish, and comfort each other, and decide cases of conscience, — that they may make known to each other in love, simplicity, meekness, and humilit}', their personal faults of which they themselves might not be aware, — and remove all contention and jealousy; because a house divided against itself cannot stand, and harmony among ministers of the same denomination, (and we would add, of all fundamentally orthodox churches,) "makes a great impression upon friends and foes." x The zeal and brotherly love actually abounding among them, was such, that, during the meeting above referred to, whilst they regularly dismissed the congregation at a sea- sonable hour and retired to the residence of Dr. Muhlen^ berg, there to spend some time in private conference on experimental religion and the duties and difficulties of the pastoral office, they thrice continued these private consulta- tions and devotional exercises till long after midnight, viz. : on the 18th, 19th and 20th of October, 1760. 2 As early as 1772, the practice of holding special confer- ences, in the interim of the synodical meetings, was com- menced, and their design is thus described by Dr. Helmuth : "A conference is to be held once every three months, to be attended only by those ministers who reside nearest to- gether, and they differ from the General Conference (the (1) Hallisclie Nachrichten, p. 857. (2) Pages 654, 855—862. 118 PATRIARCHS OF AMERICAN LUTHERANISM. Synod,) in this, that their object is not to attend so much to the external affairs of the congregation, but chiefly to aim at edification and at improvement in brotherly love. The contiguous brethren in the upper part ef Pennsylvania, (Lancaster,) are Messrs. Kurtz, Sen'r., Kurtz, Jr., Krug, Wildbahn, Enderlein, Fred. Muhlenberg and myself (Hel- muth.) We held our first meeting in a village, called New Holland, and spent our time in a truly brotherly manner. Each brother proposed something, which tended to edifica- tion or instruction, and which was made the subject of prayer." 1 How pleasing to find one of the most important measures for promoting religion, which is but now beginning to gain currency amongst us, we mean special conferences, sanc- tioned by something so much like them, in the practice of the illustrious pioneers and fathers of our church ! Would that the provisions of our Formula on this subject were more generally reduced to practice. Then should we wit- ness more frequent revivals of religion amongst us, and see spiritual religion more extensively prevail. In conclusion, we see that the spirit of our Fathers was a spirit of Eclecticism. They called no man master, they acknowledged no head but Christ ; no absolute authority but the Bible. They bound themselves to no set of forms derived from the old country, but retaining the grand land- marks of Lutheranism, doctrinal, practical, and liturgical, they adapted them to their altered circumstances in this country. Thus with the Bible in their hands, and their eyes fixed on the leadings of God's providence, they passed for- ward, and felt at liberty to adopt any improvement which was developed in the progress of society, and of the church, and which commended itself to reason and to scripture. i Thus may it ever be with our Zion ! Far. be the time, nay, may it never come, when the Lutheran church shall be robbed of her liberty for free and unshackled investiga- tion, or shall again be enslaved to voluminous creeds and detailed confessions. But with the Bible, and the brief doctrinal articles of the Augsburg confession, may that church, which is emphatically styled the church of the Re- formation, continue to deserve the name, and as she owes (1) Hallische Nadmchten, p. 1339.. PATRIARCHS OF AMERICAN LU T51 E R A N IS M. 119 her existence to the Reformation, never be the enemy of Reformation. For the sake of substantial uniformity, let her have a brief liturgy, but never, never, bind the con- science of her ministers as to the frequency of its use. Let her be cautious in rejecting the old, but not prejudiced against all that is new. Let her try every doctrine and every measure by the touchstone of God's word, and what- ever the oracles of Jehovah sanction, and the providence of God blesses, let her not be ashamed to practice and profess. Then, my beloved brethren, may we hope to find our church ever the friend of spiritual religion and religious re- vival ; then may we hope to train up Christians and Chris- tian ministers of enlarged views, of liberal, charitable feel- ings, of expanded enterprises, of millenial schemes. Thus may we hope she will co-operate most harmoniously, and most efficiently with the other churches of our land, and of ail lands, in advancing the mediatorial reign of our blessed Master, and preparing the way for the second glorious com- ing of the Lord. IV. DISCOURSE THE NATURE OF THE SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST. When the Divine Author of our holy religion, gave us an inspired, written record of its sacred principles, precepts and institutions, through the men whom he had personally in- structed, he also taught us to regard this record as a sufficient rule of faith and practice, as able to make us, individually, "wise unto salvation." Through these same honored instru- ments he informs us, "that all scripture was given by inspira- tion," for the express purpose, " that the man of God may be perfect, theroughty furnished unto every good work." To the close of the whole canon, that is, to the last (as we be- lieve) of the inspired books, the Revelation of St. John, the Saviour appended this solemn warning, speaking in his own person : "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. If any man shall add unto these things, God will add unto him the plagues that are written in this book ; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the tree (var. lect. for Bj/3Xjw book) of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Rev. xxii. 18, 19. From these solemn declarations it is evident, that God will hold every man to strict responsibility for the conformity of his religious opinions to the teachings of the inspired word; and, therefore, in forming our doctrinal views, we ought to study the utmost possible objectivity, ought to labor PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST. 121 to divest ourselves of all preconceived opinions, either for one or other interpretation of a disputed point, and let the Scripture, as much as possible, be made to interpret itself. These remarks are peculiarly applicable to the doctrine which is at present to claim our attention. It has been a bone of contention in the Protestant church, with but little inter- mission, ever since its origin, until about fifty years ago, when the Lutheran church almost universally abandoned the views, which Luther and his co-laborers, with few ex- ceptions, entertained. We, therefore, feel the deepest ob- ligation, in endeavoring to investigate this subject, to be gov- erned entirely by the word of God, interpreted according to the correct principles of common sense, which is the only true system of Historical Exegesis. Let us first briefly recall to mind those principles of Her- meneutics, which particularly come into question in these passages of Scripture on this subject. § 1. General Principles of Interpretation. 1 . The general nature of language implies, that the words of a speaker be regarded as definite signs of his ideas, and that the signification of these sio-ns is conventional : that is, the signs or sounds called words, derive their meaning, not from their intrinsic structure, but from the current practice or usage of the people at the time they are employed. Thus, 2wfjta signifies body, Cap! flesh, and aljaa blood, aprog bread, and olvog wine, simply in consequence of conventional usage. The few words in different languages, which express sounds not unlike that of the words themselves, such as roar, crash, &c, are, like some of the admired lines of Virgil or Homer, in which the sounds of the whole sentence bears some anal- ogy to the idea expressed, but exceptions which confirm the general rule. 2. The language of Scripture and of inspiration, does not differ from other language in its general principles. That this would be the case, might a priori be expected : for if it were otherwise, such language would not be intelligible. As words in any language convey to the hearer, not whatever ideas the speaker may choose, but those of which conven- tional usage has made them the authorized exponents ; the inspired writers could be intelligible on no other supposition. 122 THE NATURE OP THE SAVIOUR'S Accordingly, it is admitted by all enlightened exegetical writers, that the language of Scripture must be investigated on precisely the same principles which are applied to unin- spired language. The actual examination of the Scriptures a posteriori, proves the above expectation, or supposition to be correct. The diversity of style, of literary excellence, and of psycho- logical peculiarity, belonging to the different books, incon- testably establishes the homogeneity of the language of the Bible, with that of uninspired writers. Generally, the Scrip- tures have been interpreted on this supposition, by the great mass of christians in all ages, and found to be intelligible. 3. The rules of Sacred Hermeneutics must therefore, also, like those of Hermeneutics in general, be based on the nature and general principles of language, and arise out of them. Thus we must study the historical import of the individual words employed : the context and scope of the passage must be investigated, the circumstances and design of the writer are to be examined, and in short all the light of archaeology is to be employed, to ascertain what ideas the passage in question would have conveyed to the persons of the age and country, to whom they were first addressed. The sense thus acquired is to be regarded as the true one, and is termed the historical sense. Luther himself, in most instances, prac- ticed on this system, and termed the signification thus ac- quired the literal sense. 4. Experience, however, proves, that in fact, general usage has, in all languages, given different significations to many words. The causes of this fact, we will not here stop to discuss; its reality is undisputed, and familiar to all. That signification of a word, in which it is most commonly employed, is usually termed its natural or literal import. The others are called figurative. The figurative meanings of words are of various kinds, metaphysical, typical, allegorical, v ap-rov, xai sv\oyyj(fag, (or according to a various reading, su^ccpiaV^Cag') sxXairs, xai eSidz toj XpjoVou stf-rj ; and " the bread, is it not the communion of the body of Christ ?" But as we have already proved, that the literal interpreta- tion of the Romanists is utterly untenable ; and that the doctrine of the real presence of the body and blood of Christ ''in, with, or under" the elements, is not a literal one, but figurative and unnatural, and at the same time, liable to many of the objections, on account of which all Protestants repudiate the Romish literal interpretation, we need not re- peat them. And having already presented our view of the import of the term xoivuvia. " communion," in the Epistle to the Corinthians, the only thing which remains, in order to vindicate the Pauline interpretation, which we adopt as our own, namely, the mnemonic import of the rite, its appoint- ment to perpetuate the memory of the Lord's death or cru- cifixion, is to show that this figurative or tropical interpre- tation of the phrase rou-ro stfri to tfwjxa jxo'j, "this is my body," is perfectly sustained by the usus loquendi of the New Testament. a) Even those who receive the doctrine of the real presence, concede that these words do admit of the figura- tive meaning for which we contend. The learned and pious Dr. Storr remarks: "The words of our Lord, ' This is my body,' &c, may indeed be explained figuratively without violence to the usus loquendi of the New Testament. The figure assumed would not be an uncommon one. Nor can it be said that the nature of the case altogether forbids the supposition of the language being figurative. For it cannot be denied that some of the language used in the, institution of the Holy Supper is figurative, (tropical/') 1 Nor is this admission made without cause. The reasons sustaining this opinion are numerous and most satisfactory. b) The Hebrew language does not contain a word to express the idea, signify, and therefore the Hebrews (1) Storr's Biblical Theology, § 114, 111. 6, p. 537 of 2d ed. of the translation. PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST. 251 always conveyed that idea by other terms, usually by the substantive verb, *Tn, to be. Or perhaps, more frequently the phrase is elliptical, and the verb entirely wanting, and to be supplied from the context. But the inspired evan- gelists have given us the verb sifrr, "is"; and it is the usus loquendi of the New Testament, in regard to this term, that we are to investigate. c) That this method of using the term ""is" for "signi- fies," is a very common one among different nations, is well known, and the idiom of the Old and New Testament is, in this respect, the same. Thus, it was customary for the Jews, when interrogated by their children concerning the import of the Passover, to reply: "This is the body of the Lamb which our fathers ate in Egypt," that is, it signifies the lamb, &c. The Psalmist says, (Ps. xviii. 2:) The Lord is my rock and my fortress — is my buckler — is the horn of my salvation — is my high tower. Ps. xxiii. 1. The Lord is my shepherd, &c. &c. But the Scriptures abound in cases of the very same figure, which we are now considering. Gen. xl. 12. Joseph, says, "the three branches are three days, i. e. sig- nify three days. xli. 26. The seven good kine are seven years. Danl. vii. 24. "The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall rise." v. 17. " These great beasts which are four, are four kings." viii. 21. "And the rough goat is the king of Greece." In all the above cases, though the language is elliptical, the substantive verb is understood, which is expressed in our English Bible. Paul says, (1 Cor. x. 4,) "That rock (that followed the Israelites in the wilderness) was (^v) Christ." Gal. iv. 24. "For these (Sarah and Hagar) are (shftv) the two covenants," i. e. signify them. Luke xii. 1. "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees r,rig s&my which is (signifies) hypocrisy. 57 Heb. vii. 2. "King of Salem, 6 sg'i, that is (signifies) king of peace." Mark iv. 15. And these are they by the way- side — and on stony ground, — among thorns, of the sacramental institution as uttered by the Saviour, re- corded by the evangelists, and explained by Paul, are to be understood, so far as the mode of the Saviour's presence is concerned, as follows : "And as they were eating, (the paschal supper,) Jesus took bread, (the unleavened bread or cake which had been prepared for the passover,) and having given thanks and pronounced a blessing, he gave the pieces of bread to his disciples, and said, Take, eat, this (bread, which is and re- mains bread and) signifies my (natural, not glorified) body, which is (to be) broken for you, (on the cross, crucified,) do this in (order to cherish the) remembrance of me. Likewise, he took the cup, after (the paschal) supper (was ended,) and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of it, (of the wine, which was ordinary wine, that had been prepared for the Passover;) This cup (the wine in it) is (signifies or represents) the new testa- ment in my blood, (represents the new covenant ratified by my blood,) which is (to be.) shed (on the cross) for you, and for many for the remission of sins. This do ye as often PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST. 153 as ye drink it, in (order to cherish the) remembrance of me. For as often as ye (reverently and devoutly) eat this bread and drink the wine in this cup (consecrated by prayer for the sacramental celebration) ye do show forth (perpetuate the memory of) the Lord's death, (upon the cross,) until he returns, (at the latter day, at the close of the present dispensation.) Whoever shall eat this bread and drink this wine unworthily, (irreverently and without faith and a due regard for the solemn design for which they were appointed,) is guilty (in respect to the) body and blood of the Lord, (guilty of treating irreverently or pro- fanely the emblems or memorials of the Saviour's broken body and shed blood, and thus guilty of casting reproach on the Lord himself.) Let a man, therefore, examine him- self (as to his knowledge of the design of the institution and his moral qualifications to receive it;) for he that eateth or drinketh unworthily (in an irreverent manner and without faith in Christ,) eateth and drinketh (judgment, xpj.aa, not) damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body, (not distinguishing between ordinary bread and these elements, instituted and consecrated as emblems of the Saviour's crucified body and blood.) According to this view of the sacramental narrative, it follows, that in the Holy Supper of our Lord, there is, 1. A real presence of the Saviour as to his divine nature. 2. A spi?itual, that is symbolic presence as to his human nature, and, 3. An influential presence of the God-man, the Thean- thropos (dsavA ?u*og) as to the blessings flowing from his death and mediatorial work in general. Hence, the view of the Lord's Supper, which is most scriptural, and also most generally received by the great majority of the Lutheran ministry and churches in this country, is summarily the following : That there is no real or actual presence of the glorified hu- man nature of the Saviour either substantial or influential, nor any thing mysterious or supernatural in the eucharist; yet } that whilst the bread and wine are merely symbolical represen- tations of the Saviour's absent body, by which we are reminded of his sufferings, there is also a peculiar and special spir- itual blessing bestowed by the divine Saviour on all worthy communicants, by which their faith and Christian graces are 154 SAVIOUR'S PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST. confirmed. l The further development of the nature and evi- dences of the various blessings resulting from this ordinance, does not fall within, the design of the present discussion. Having thus presented the view of the Saviour's presence in the Holy Supper, which we find clearly taught in the records of inspiration, we close with the remark, that whilst we vin- dicate to ourselves the right to believe and profess what we regard as the scriptural view of this subject, we consider the Protestant diversities in reference to it as of minor moment, and can cordially fraternize with the Zwinglian and all oth- ers on the one hand, who attribute to this ordinance no peculiar spiritual blessing, beyond that of the other means of grace, and with the rigid adherent of Luther's views on the other, who believes in the real presence, the eating and drinking of the body and blood of the Redeemer in this Holy Feast of Love. (1) Popular Theology, 5th ed., p. 303. V. DISCOURSE. THE DOCTRINAL BASIS AND ECCLESIASTICAL POSITION OF THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. CHAPTER I. Introductory remarks. Propositions defining the doc- trinal basis. The name Lutheran — It is given to many who reject the majority of the "symbolical books." One of the characteristic features of the Christian church, by which the wisdom and benevolence of its Divine Author are illustriously displayed, is found in the fact, that, whilst he himself projected the fundamental lineaments of its exter- nal, visible organization, he left the great mass of minor features, to be filled up by the discretion of his disciples in the successive ages of the world. It was thus, that the di- vine truths of his holy religion found, comparatively, easy access to the human heart, under all forms of civil organi- zation. For whilst it taught kings and emperors to rule in righteousness, "to be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to those that do well," it simultaneously enjoined on those "under authority," to be "subject to the powers that be," as "to the ministers of God, who hold not the sword in vain;" because civil government is an institution "ap- pointed of God." Under the sanction of this discretionary principle, we find not only different denominations of Chris- 156 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. tians, characterized by diversity of external polity, but even Christians of the same denomination, in different countries, admit of these variations. Thus, the adherents of the Augs- burg Confession, the XVth article of which sanctions this prin- ciple of diversity in external arrangements, designed to "promote peace and good order in the church" though all designated by the general name of Lutheran, or Evangelical, are characterized by strongly marked diversities of organi- zation and polity. For example, whilst all Lutherans of every land, acknowledge the primitive parity of ministers, in Denmark our church has diocesan bishops, and in Sweden also an archbishop ; whilst in Germany she has superin- tendents, and in republican America, adheres to entire pa- rity of ministerial rank in practice, as well as in theory. In like manner, whilst in Luther's lifetime, no symbolical books at all, except the Bible, were imposed on either pastors or churches ; after his death, several important documents of historical importance, all (except the Form of Concord,) written for other purposes, were prescribed by the civil au- thorities, as binding on both pastors and churches. After this system of symbolic servitude had been commenced, more books were invested with such authority in Saxony, than in some other sections of Germany. In Sweden, none of these modern documents were regarded as strictly sym- bolical, except the Augsburg Confession ; and in Denmark, none but that Confession, and the Smaller Catechism of Lu- ther. The Lutheran Church in America, though pursuing some diversity in practice, never entered on a formal settle- ment of this point, until the General Synod virtually ac- complished this end, in her Synodical Constitution, by the requisition of fundamental assent to the Augsburg Confession, from all candidates for licensure and ordination. That Lutherans in this country would not be insensible, either to their inalienable rights or obligations, that they, would avail themselves of our happy liberty from all entangling alliances with the civil government, and organize their church more closely, according to the Apostolic model, than could be done in Germany, was natural and right. Accordingly, like their brethren of other denominations, our fathers did introduce various improvements on the ecclesiastical institutions of Lu- theran Europe, and adopt a system, which, whilst it is Lu- theran, is also American, and more nearly conformed to the DOCTRINAL BASIS STATED. 157 Apostolic model, than has been attained by the Lutheran church in any other country. To portray the practice of our Fathers, the principles on which they acted, and the organization which has gradually grown out of them, is the design of this article ; as well as to vindicate them against the objections, which may arise in the minds of our friends or foes. As the subject is possessed of a high, enduring interest, these discussions, which first ap- peared in the Lutheran Observer, are now presented in this permanent and condensed form, entirely divested of the pe- culiarities in which they originated ; and they are circulated, not to provoke controversy, but to present calm, rational and scriptural argument, for the conscientious consideration of those concerned, with the supplication and the hope that a gracious Providence may employ them to cherish peace and harmony within our borders, to promote a Scriptural organ- ization of the Church on earth, and to hasten her triumph over the kingdoms of this world. We shall devote the present chapter to a statement of the propositions to be discussed, and to several general and pre- liminary topics. The doctrinal basis and ecclessiastical position of the American Lutheran Church, may be briefly comprehended in the following propositions : 1. The patriarchs of our church did at first practically profess the former symbolical books of our church in Germany, by avowing them or in most instances the Augsburg Con- fession at the erection of their houses of worship, and in various cases at the induction of men into the ministerial office. 2. They soon relaxed from the rigor of symbolic requisi- tion, and referred only to the Augsburg Confession, generally omitting all reference to the other former symbolic books, except the use of the Smaller Catechism of Luther in the instruction of the rising generation. 3. Neither they nor their immediate successors ever for- mally adopted these symbolical books as binding on our church in this country, as tests of admission or discipline. 4. About the beginning of this century they ceased, in fact, to require assent even to the Augsburg Confession at licensure and ordinadon, and demanded only faith in the word of God, thus practically rejecting (as they had a right 14 158 DOCTRINAL BASIS STATED. to do) all the symbolical books as tests ; though still respect- ing and occasionally referring to the Augsburg confession as a substantial expose of the doctrines which they taught. 5. The actual doctrinal position of our church in this country at the formation of the General Synod, was that of adherence to the fundamental doctrines of Scripture as sub- stantially taught in the Augsburg Confession, with acknowl- edged dissent on minor points. Ecclessiastical obligations are voluntary and personal, not hereditary. God deals with every man as an individual moral agent, possessing certain unalienable rights, and owing certain unalienable duties. Hence the ministry and laity, that is, the church of every age have as good a right and are as much under obligations to oppose, and, if possible, change what they believe wrong in the religious practices of their predecessors, and to con- form it to the word of God, as were Luther and the other christians of the sixteenth century. 6. Whatever moral obligation their practical requisition of assent to the Augsburg Confession, may have imposed on themselves and those thus admitted by them, it was annulled when, by common consent, they revoked that practice. And as none, so far as we have ever heard, protested or seceded, they thus all practically rejected all those books as binding symbols. 7. Our General Synod found the Lutheran Church in America without any human symbols as tests of admission or discipline, although the Augsburg Confession was still occasionally referred to as a substantial exhibition of the doctrines held by them ; and the General Synod ratified the state of doctrine existing among its members, namely, fun- damental assent to the Augsburg Confession, with acknowl- edged deviation in minor or non-fundamental points, and subsequently passed a formal adoption of the Augsburg Con- fession, in this fundamental way, as a test of admission and discipline. The American Lutheran Church is characterized by cer- tain definite features, and as such is worthy of the highest respect and confidence of her membership, and of the Christian public at large. In regard to our first position, namely, that our earliest preachers often referred to the symbolical books, and especially to the Augsburg Confession as an expose of their doctrinal DOCTRINAL BASIS STATED. 159 views, no doubt can exist, and therefore an induction of proofs is superfluous. And yet it seems evident that in thus referring, they did not design to profess an absolute con- formity ; because they had certainly rejected several of the tenets of those books, which are also at present generally rejected, such as auricular confession, "which is taught in the Augsburg Confession, Article xi : " Concerning Confes- sion ice teach that private absolution must be retained in the churches and must not be abandoned," and also Exorcism, which is enjoined in the Directory for Baptism, (Taufbuech- lein,) appended by Luther himself to his Smaller Cate- chism, where we find on the subject of Baptism, the following directions: Let the officiating minister say : Dejpa rt ( or come out, 'fahre aus') thou unclean spirit, and give room to the Holy Spirit," and after a prayer the minister says: "/adjure thee, thou, unclean spirit, by (bei) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that thou come out and depart from this servant of Jesus Christ, $. iV r . (naming the child) Amen." All these things are omitted from the liturgies and catechisms published by our earlier ministers, that we have seen. We know, too, that some of them, such as Dr. Kunze, rejected the imputation of Adam's sin, or rather of the depraved nature which ive derived from him, to his posterity as personal guilt; and from the general tenor of Muhlenberg's theological views, we doubt not he and others of them participated in this rejec- tion. Now these are the principal points, with the addition of the bodily presence of Christ in the Eucharist, which the friends of the "General Synod's basis," or of the "Ameri- can Lutheran church," object to in the Augsburg Confes- sion, (and exorcism is not even taught in that book) ; and we are greatly mistaken if one in five hundred of our Amer- ican Lutherans will ever adopt the views of Luther on these subjects. But if ihe early fathers of our church in this country had formally adopted the whole mass of the books as symbolical and binding on all future generations, (which they did not, ) the writer's views of his own position in the Lutheran church, and of his duty in regard to her, as well as that of his brethren of the General Synod, would not be changed in the least. His reasons are these : Religious and ecclesiastical obligations are not hereditary. In matters not prescribed by the word of God, I am bound by no other obligations than those which I personally as- 160 LUTHER NO SYMBOLIST. sumed. I was not even requested to pledge myself to any- one of the symbolical books on entering the ministry, but to the inspired and infallible word of God. If subscription to the symbolical books is essential to the character of a Lu- theran, then Luther himself was not a member of the church that bore his name; and a large part of all who were called Lutherans during the first half century of her existence, were in the same condition, as well as all those entire Lu- theran countries, which always rejected the ill-fated Form of Concord. The friends of the General Synod's basis believed themselves acting honestly, and honorably in join- ing the church, then as now called Lutheran ; because they believed and still believe and teach all the great and cardinal doctrines which Luther, taught, and carry out more fully than he did, the. principles of church government and discipline, which he believed to be taught in Scripture. Again, if the founders of the American Lutheran church even had formally adopted the symbolicalbooks of Germany, it was equally competent for their successors to rescind such adoption ; and certainly could not affect our duty and position. It is enough for us, and for the present generation of our ministers and members, that when we entered the holy of- fice, no such obligation was customary or even thought of; no pledge to the symbolical books, or any one of them, was asked of us, or given by us. We selected the Lutheran church as the church of our choice, as she then was, not as slie had been two or three centuries ago. And, as honest and honorable men, we are answerable for our fidelity only to the promises which we ourselves made, so long as we do not publicly renonunce them, and avow a change of opinion as to our duty; as Luther did when he repudiated the ob- ligation of his monastic vows. It is certain our American fathers did not formally adopt these books, but in several instances practically required assent to them at licensure or ordination, and probable for some years longer, as we have recently been informed by one of the oldest fathers of the church, required candidate's assent to the Augsburg Con- fession alone, practically rejecting the other books ; and they did recommend the smaller catechism of Luther as a book for catechetical instruction ; but their successors gradually dis- approving of this pledge, practically rejected it, as well as OUR FATHERS NOT RIGID SYMBOLISTS. 161 any pledge to the other symbolic books, about half a cen- tury ago, which they had a perfect moral right to do. All the while, those venerable brethren, among whom were Drs. Kunze, Helmuth, Schmidt, Streit, Sehaeffer of Philadelphia, Muhlenberg of Lancaster, Daniel Kurtz of Baltimore, Krug, Endress, Goering, Sehmucker of York, and Lochman,. Sen'r., though they no longer required the licentiate to pledge himself to the Augsburg Confession, yet still adhering to the grand doctrines held by Luther, con- sidered it honorable to retain the name of Lutheran, as their successors still do. Dr. Helmuth is known to have been prominent in rejecting the requisition of a pledge to the Augsburg Confession. Whether all the others, above named agreed with him, we know not; yet the majority must have done so, or the practice could not have been changed. "During the first thirty years of this century, the great body of the American Lutheran church had, therefore, no human creed at all binding upon them, though they always did refer (as we still do,) to the Augsburg Confession, as a substantial expose of their doctrines.. As freemen, and servants only of Christ, they felt that they bad the right, and rested under the obligation to wor- ship God, and to conduct the affairs of his church accord- ing to the dictates of their own conscience, guided by the Scriptures; and we have yet to see any evidence that they were under any obligation of honor or honesty, to pursue a different course. Their real doctrinal position, at the formation of the Gen- eral Synod, was that of fundamental agreement with the Augsburg Confession, and acknowledged dissent from it on some minor or non- f undamental points. This state of doc- trine alone could the clause of the General Synod's consti- tution be designed to perpetuate, which denies to that body "the right to introduce such alterations in matters apper- taining to the faith, &c, as might, in any way,, tend to bur- den the consciences of the brethren in Christ. The altera- tions prohibited, must have been alterations from the state of things and doctrines actually existing. How the "con- sciences of the brethren could be oppressed" by the Gen- eral Synod's altering or rejecting any doctrine which they did not believe, we cannot divine; and to maintain that the 14a 162 OUR FATHERS NOT RIGID SYMBOLISTS. framers of that article designed by it to perpetuate or shield from alteration any doctrine which they themselves rejected, would evince more zeal than sound judgment. This doctrinal position of substantial agreement with the Augsburg Confession, with acknowledged privilege of dif- ference on non-fundamental or minor points, was subse- quently made symbolic or binding by the General Synod, in her Constitution for Synods, and this is the official creed of the General Synod. This doctrinal position had been intro- duced in the same way and Avith exactly equivalent restric- tions, into the Constitution of the Theological Seminary of the General Synod. This obligation, written by ourselves, we have also taken, and to it we expect to adhere so long as strength is granted us to labor in the vineyard of our blessed Lord. It has sometimes been said, as Lutherans we ought to adhere to the standards of the Lutheran church. This is perfectly true and just, if the standards of the Lu- theran church in America be intended ; for these are none other than the "Word of God and the fundamentals of that Word as taught substantially in the Augsburg Confession." But as to the former symbolical books of the Lutheran church in Germany, we are under no such obligation. Our churches, for near a century, have not acknowledged any one of them except the Augsburg Confession, and for fifty years past have received as binding, none at all, until the General Synod formally adopted the Augsburg Confession, and that only as to fundamentals ; and probably not a dozen of all our American ministers have ever read all these books. If we ask the question, how could any one suppose us bound by the symbols of our church in Germany? we can per- ceive no other solution, than the supposition that such person has adopted some phase of the Unlutheran and unscriptural notion, which is beginning to pervade the theology of some other denominations, and regards the church as consisting of an ideal, abstract membership, together with the human Con- stitution, Creeds, Liturgies, &c, framed and professed by Christians in any particular age, and which fictitiously con- fers on this ideal church a corporate personality, apart from the individual members who compose it. In this unscriptural sense, a church, that is, her constitution, creeds, liturgy, &c, of the organi- zation of the General Synod. Dr. Xunze, propably the most learned of our older min- isters, and no less distinguished for his piety, 1 than learning, in his history of the Christian Religion, thus expresses his views on the imputation of Adam's sin : " To derive original sin from the first man's being the federal head or represen- tative of the humanrace, seems not satisfactory to a mind inclined to derive or expect only good and perfect things from the good and perfect Creator. By one man's disobe- dience, it is true, many were made sinners, but not on ac- count of an imputation of -this man's sin, but because by him, sin entered the world." 2 And on the subject of the Christian Sabbath the Doctor took such high and decided grounds as to excite hostility and even ' persecution from some of his hearers. Dr. Lochman himself, speaking of the Article in the Augs- burg Confession on Natural depravity, uses this language : (1) See his work, "Ein Wortfuer den Verstand und das Herz passim, and especially p. 208-211. (2) Lochman's Luther, p. 88. SYMBOLICAL REQUISITIONS. 175 The last clause in the above article, namely, the clause " con- demn eth all who are not born again of water and of the spirit," is thus explained by some: "If we suffer our de- praved nature to have the rule over us, it will certainly lead us to ruin and condemnation." 1 This we know, from personal interviews with him, to have been the Doctor's own opinion. The Rev. Schober, of North Carolina, though a warm friend of piety and active advocate of fundamental orthodoxy, did not receive the Augsburg Confession implicitly himself; and though he desired to introduce an acknowledgment of it into the constitution of the General Synod, did not design, had his efforts been successful, to require the belief of all its minor doctrines as a term of admission. Had such been his purpose, he would have excluded himself. In the edi- tion of the Augsburg Confession published by himself, he appended notes to several articles, indicating his dissent from them. Hear his own language on the subject of Confession and Absolution, (Art. xi. of Conf.) "This article was inserted at the time of the delivery of this Confession, chiefly to show a conciliatory spirit to the other party ; but the practice of private confession and ab- solution is entirely discontinued in our Lutheran churches," p. 107. And of course the doctrine on which it is based, is also rejected. On the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, he follows the Latin copy of Art. x. of the Confession, which omits the word true from before "body," in the German, adds the word "external" to emblems, which is not found in the Latin or German copy, and in addition to all appends the following note: "As Christ has promised- unto his disciples and true followers, that he will be with them, to the end of the world, and as he has been pleased to give us the gracious assurance, to be present with us whenever we assemble in his name ; how firmly' may we not rely on his promises, especially when we celebrate the Lord's Supper according to his holy insti- tution, in solemn commemoration of his sufferings and death, and appropriate his merits to our own hearts." But he says nothing about receiving the body and blood of Christ in the ordinance. But to place this matter beyond all doubt, both in regard (1) P. 86—88 articles. 176 EARLY ABANDONMENT OF to Rev. Schober, and the ministers of the North Carolina Synod, generally, even as early as the year 1820, we add a document, adopted by that Synod at the very meeting at which delegates were elected, to attend the Convention at Hagerstown, in October of the same year, for the purpose of forming a Constitution for the General Synod. At that meeting a letter was addressed to the North Carolina Synod by a minister of a sister church, to which the following an- swer, prepared by a committee of Synod, was adopted ; and the Rev. Schober requested to forward it to the memorialists, accompanied by "a polite and brotherly address" in the name of the Synod : " To the Rev. James Hill : Rev. and Bear Sir, — In answer to your question, whether water baptism effects regeneration ? we say we- do not fully know what you mean by the word "effects," as it may have many definitions. But we say, that baptism is beneficial, and ought to be attended to as a command of God ; but we do not believe that all who are baptized with water, are regen- erated and born again unto God, so as to be saved without the operation of the Holy Ghost; or, in other words, with- out faith in Christ. And as to the second question, we do not believe nor teach, that the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are corporeally received along with the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper ; but that the true believer does spiritually receive and partake of the same, through faith in Jesus Christ, and all the saving benefits of his deatk and passion." 1 Here, then, we cannot fail to see, that this whole Synod, (for they seem all to have been of one mind,) had aban- doned the ground of the Augsburg Confession, and believed only a spiritual presence and perception of the body and blood of Christ, by faith in the eucharist, and this limited, of course, to the believer; and especially was this the doc- trinal position of Mr. Schober, who was the leading and most active spirit in that body, and personally carried on a controversy with David Henkel, partly on this very doctrine. But still farther, to show the real doctrinal position of Mr. (1) See Transactions of the Lutheran Synod of North Carolina and ad- jacent States, for 1820, printed at Raleigh, p. 18. . SYMBOLICAL REQUISITIONS. 177 Schober and his Synod, at the organization of the General Synod, we add another extract from the same minutes, (p. 6,) in which Mr. Schober, as Secretary, gives a statement of a discussion which occurred at that meeting, between several, Messrs. Henkels, and the Synod. Mr. Schober says : "They accused us of not teaching water baptism to be regenera- tion, and that ive did not accept the elements in the eucharisi as the true body and blood of the Lord, corporeally, and therefore, and because the plan for a general union ot oui church, (that is, the General Synod,) which they feared wc would adopt, was against the Augsburg Confession; they could not unite with us." These Messrs. Henkels, who had for years been associated with Mr. Schober in the same Synod, and well knew his views, seem to have had little ex- pectation, that the General Synod, which Mr. Schober was so anxious to establish, would have the least desire strictly to enforce the Augsburg Confession ; on the contrary, their standing charge against him and his associates was, that they did not hold the doctrines of that Confession. It has indeed been supposed that a pledge to the unal- tered Augsburg Confession bound its subjects to the whole system, taught also in all the other symbols ! ! This opin- ion is utterly unfounded. Nor can any authority be ad- duced for it. No historian has ever asserted, that an understanding existed in Europe, that whoever signed the unaltered Augsburg Confession, thereby bound himself to adhere to the entire system taught in all the other books. If such an understanding had existed, how absurd, then, was the custom of binding ministers explicitly to the other books also, which prevailed for seven hundred years, until the beginning of this century ? If the matter w T as so un- derstood, why did Sweden, and Denmark, and Prussia, and a number of other portions of the Lutheran church refuse to receive the Apology to the Confession? And why did the more rigid Lutherans complain of those countries, which received the unaltered Augsburg Confession, but rejected one or more of the other books, if the reception of that one bound them to all ? Why does even Guericke complain that they did not attain symbolic manhood ? In short, we can- not make the supposition tally with history at all, and there- fore, are compelled to regard it, in face, as unreasonable and unfounded, as it, at first view, appears to be. Guericke 178 AUGSBURG CONFESSION DOKS NOT does indeed attempt to show, if we recollect rightly, that those who received the unaltered Augsburg Confession were under a logical obligation to adhere to the others, which we shall prove unfounded ; but the question before us is en- tirely different, namely, whether our fathers did not relin- quish the practice of requiring a pledge to the other sym- bolical books, and confine themselves to the Augsburg Confession, which is a fact to be established by historical evidence; But may it not also be- maintained, that the other sym- bolical books, the Catechisms of Luther excepted, were written to explain the Augsburg Confession, and do not teach any different doctrines, but only define the position of the church towards the Calvinists, &c, and therefore, all who receive the latter should receive the former also. To this we reply, if the other books did not touch on any ad- ditional doctrine, (which is, however, not the case,) but only dilated on those more generically stated in the Augs- burg Confession, they would be objectionable as binding creeds ; because, whilst men might agree on the few general, specifications of doctrine, delineated in the Augsburg Con- fession, they might, and would differ on many of the ex- planations, ramifications and amplifications of them, con- tained in the other books. As well might we affirm, that all who can agree to pledge themselves to the few generic specifications of the Augsburg Confession, could just as well adopt, as their confession of faith, that excellent and voluminous work, " ReinhecWs (Betrachtungen) Reflections on the Augshury Confession" in nine ponderous quarto vols.; for they are all written professedly and actually in explana- tion of that symbol. Or, to illustrate the point still more clearly, as well might we assert, that all who adopt the American Constitution, as all our citizens do, can just as well also adopt the many volumes containing explanations of the provisions of that constitution, written by authors of our several political parties. The thing is impossible. Who does not know that these different authors, like the several parties to which they belong, deduce very different, yea, directly contradictory views from that same instrument, and that they could not possibly agree ? And is it not equally notorious matter of history, that different writers, who have all agreed in assenting to the generic statements INVOLVE THE OTHER SYMBOLS. 179 of the Augsburg Confession, have entertained a multitude of different opinions in regard to the minor specifications, the explanations, the circumstances and relations of those doctrines. The proten pseudos, the radical error, of the ultra-Luther- ans on this point, is this, that they lose sight of the difference between generic and specific truths. Religious, as well as other truths, are encircled by a vast multitude of relations and circumstances. Now these truths may be stated more or less generically, that is, in stating them, we may intro- duce more or fewer of those minor relations and circum- stances. And such is the constitution of mind conferred on us by the Creator, that whilst the great mass of men agree in a generic statement of truths, in political or religious science, even of truths derived from the Bible ; the more you enter into an enumeration of specific details, or sup- posed relations, the smaller the number of those, who can agree in them all. Thus, all denominations of Christians, agree to the few generic truths stated in the so-called Apos- tles' Creed, the only one used by Christians during the first three centuries. Yet, when we take up a creed of ten or twenty times its length, such as the Augsburg Confession, the 39 Articles of the Church of England, or the Heidel- berg Catechism, we find these same Christians differing concerning the detailed statements of these several symbols on the subject of the very doctrines generically stated in the Apostles' Creed. And just in proportion as we extend the creed by adding more specifications and relations, do we also increase the difficulty of its reception by others. The grand reason of this fact is, that these nrkior circumstances and relations are less clearly revealed in scripture, and in some instances, are mere human inferences from what is revealed, and also, because the human mind can apprehend some of these miner relations less clearly than it does the cardinal facts and doctrines of the gospel. From these considera- tions, we trust our readers will easily perceive the fallacy of the supposition, that whoever can assent to the more generic statement of doctrine in the Augsburg Confession, a pamphlet of something like the size of Matthew's gospel, c»n also necessarily adopt all the minor specifications of re- lations and circumstances, which are contained in the whole 180 AUGSBURG CONFESSION DOES NOT mass of the former symbolic books, amounting to twice the size of the whole New Testament ! But in order, if possible, to illustrate this point still more clearly, we will select an example taken from the symbol- ical books themselves. Thus, the Augsburg Confession, in its third article, consisting of about twenty lines, contains a historical and generic statement concerning the Person of the Saviour, affirming his divinity, his incarnation or birth of the Virgin Mary, the union of his divine and human nature into one person, who is true God and man, his sufferings, crucifixion and death as a propitiatory sacrifice, not only for hereditary depravity, but also for all actual transgres- sions ; his descent into hell, resurrection, ascension to heav- en, his session at the right hand of God, his everlasting do- minion over all creatures, his sanctification of believers through the Spirit, and protection of them against sin and satan, as also his final appearance to judge the quick and the dead. Now, to all these statements, given in very few more words than we have here employed, all evangelical Christians can cordially assent, except the descent into hell, (which was not in the earliest form of the creed,) and that they would only wish to have changed into the world of spirits, which might or might not be hell. But for these twenty lines, the other symbolic books give us discussions under various captions, to the amount of from fifty to a hundred pages, in which they not only several times repeat these general positions, but also add about fifty specifica- tions, and related topics which are not in the Augsburg Confession. The major part of them were regarded as true, but others as erroneous. Among them are such topics as the following: 1. That God is man and man is God. 2. That the Virgin Mary did not conceive and bring forth a mere man but the true Son of God, and therefore, she is the Mother of God. 3. That it is right to say, that God suf- fered and died for us. 4. That it was not the mere human- ity of Christ that suffered. 5. That the divine and human natures of Christ communicate their attributes and properties to % each other. 6. That there are three species of this com- munication. 7. That Christ, in his human nature also, is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. 8. That he ac- quired omnipotent power in his mother's womb. 9. That thefdsh of Christ is a life-giving food, (also, ist das Fleisch INVOLVE THE OTHER SYMBOLS. 181 Cliristi eine lebendigmachende Speise.) 10. That the body of Christ received a certain glorification and majesty, not only after his resurrection, and at his ascension to heaven, hut at the time when he was conceived in the womb. 11. That the one body of Christ can be present at any place in three different ways. We are prepared to support all these topics by explicit quotations from the several symbolical books ; but they would occupy more space than can be allowed. jSTow, if our readers will examine these specifica- tions, they will find that not one of them is contained in the Augsburg Confession above quoted. So we might pass over all the articles of the Augsburg Confession, and show that a vast multitude of specifications is found in the other books, which are not contained in the Auo-sburo- Confession. It will be seen, too, that some of these specifications are, to s'ay the least, very doubtful ; and others obviously erroneous and unscriptural. How it should follow, that whoever re- ceives the Augsburg Confession, either ought or can also receive or bind himself to this host of additional tenets, we confess ourselves at a loss to perceive. We freely acknowl- edge that we can neither see nor feel any such obligation, either logical, or theological, or ecclesiastical, or moral. But admitting that there is no obligation of any kind to receive all these books, and bind ourselves to believe their contents ; is it expedient, would it conduce to the glory of God, would it advance the interests of our church ? Most certainly not. As the difficulty of all assenting to any creed is increased just as we augment the number of minor and less important specifications in it; and as even the Augsburg Confession contains a few minor items, which the great mass of our ministers and laymen do not believe ; it would be evident folly to attempt to bind us to books con- taining ten times as many more such minor and doubtful points. The attempt would unavoidably give rise to end- less contentions, and must necessarily terminate in divisions of the church. Moreover, as our church has been signally blessed of God with doctrinal purity and doctrinal harmony under the General Synod's doctrinal basis, for more than a quarter of a century ; why should we not adhere to it, and devote our energies to supplying the destitute of our church over the land with the preached gospel ? If desired, let us add the Maryland Synod's explanation of the pledge, by 16 182 NO FORMAL RECEPTION OF THE SYMBOLS enumerating what articles are fundamental; which ex- presses exactly what the .pledge was intended to convey, The discord and diversity which have in some regions marred the peace of our Zion, had no reference to doctrine, and admit of no doctrinal remedy. They originated and consisted in particular measures, and especially in violations of our Formula of Government and discipline, lohich strictly forbids all noise and disorder in the worship of God. The remedy for these is already provided by the General Synod in her Formula ; let the attention of those who lament these disorders, where any prevail, be directed to enforcing the provisions of the Formula, and all will be well. At the same time, let them demonstrate to the disorderly, that their .zeal for order does not arise from want of zeal for re- ligion, by redoubling their efforts to promote orderly prayer meetings, and orderly Special Conferences, for the purpose of awakening and converting sinners and edifying believers, and thus winning souls to Christ. Let the catechetical in- struction of the rising generation be more faithfully attended to, wherever it has been neglected ; and children be taught to love the institutions of the church as administered in our own denomination. Let them be taught to love the biblical, liberal, spiritual features of our Lutheran Zion, and the days of peace and harmony among pious Lutherans, the days of conversions and orderly genuine revivals, where they have disappeared, will again return to bless us. CHAPTER III. The symbolical books of our church in Germany never formally adopted in this country, though practically used in different cases till near the close of the last CENTURY. The next position claiming our attention is, That our church in America has never formally adopted the symbolical books of the Lutheran church of the sixteenth century ; though indivi- BY OUR LUTHERAN FATHERS. 183 dual congregations had acknowledged the Augsburg Con- fession at the erection of their churches, and in some cases assent to the symbols, and especially to the Augsburg Confession, had been required at licensure and ordination. By this we mean that no considerable or respectable Lu- theran Synod or convention of Lutheran ministers in this country ever passed a resolution and published it, acknowl- edging the authority of the former symbolical books of our church in Germany, or of any of them as binding on them and on all who would unite with their body, until it was done within the last few years by several German Synods of the West. 1. It is true that the Governor and Directors of New Am- sterdam, (New York,) then a Dutch colony, had concluded that the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession might be tol- erated there, and therefore that the Lutherans might worship in private till they could obtain a minister. But, were these grave dignitaries, the Governor and Directors of New York, the "Lutheran church" in America, when they did not even belong to the Lutheran congregation ? And was their action the action of "our church?" And if they had even been Lutherans, was their resolution to tolerate worship according to the Augsburg Confession, a resolution to make the whole mass of the symbolical books binding ? Nor does the fact that the members of that church styled themselves "United members of the unaltered Augsburg Confession" prove any more. It shows that those members professed to believe the Augsburg Confession, a part of the symbolical books, one out of half a dozen of them, but not that even they received the whole of these books, much less was their giving them- selves this name the action of the church, or of a part of it, formally adopting the symbolical books as binding. 2. Again, the Saltzburg emigrants also professed the doc- trines of the Augsburg Confession in Germany, and whilst there contracted with the Trustees of the colony, that several ministers should be maintained among them, to preach to them the word of God "according to the purport of their own confession," and that they should " protect them in the free exercise of their religion according to the import of the Augsburg Confession and other symbolical books of the Evan- gelical church:' Now, although this latter phrase, and i( other symbolical books" of the Evangelical church, was not of their — 184 CASE OF THE GERMAN, own selection, but was contained verbatim in the offer or invitation sent from England to Rev. Ursperger to induce emigrants to go to Georgia, and accepted by them; still admit- ting that these emigrants who were nearly all " farmers or me- chanics, day-laborers or domestics," had all seen and read all the symbolic books, which is certainly a very liberal conces- sion, what does it prove ? It establishes the fact that these emigrants professed the doctrines of the symbolical books in Germany, and intended to adhere to the same faith in this country, a point T?hich we have already asserted of the early Lutherans in general. But were these Saltzburgers, when in Germany, the Lutheran church in this country, or even as yet a part of it ? And could this contract, which they formed there, with any propriety be adduced to prove that our church in this country, or even that they, when they subsequently became a part of it, passed a resolution, or took any public step formally adopting the symbolic books as binding on their churches here ? Certainly not. 3. In regard to the founders of our church in Pennsyl- vania, the facts in the case incontestably prove that "our church never formally adopted" the symbolic books, that is, that no synod or convention ever passed an act declaring the symbolical books binding on themselves, and to be required of all who wished to unite with them. The question, whether the patriarchs of our church adopted these sym- bols formally, or substantially, is immaterial in reference to our present duties. The obligation of the present genera- tion of our ministers, both in honor and religion, depends simply on the question, whether they individually bound themselves at their licensure or ordination, to receive any other symbol than the Bible. If not, then, by no course of legitimate reasoning can a mass of human productions, twice as large as the whole New Testament, be imposed upon them, as binding on their consciences. 4. As to the little handful of Swedish Lutheran churches, — they have long since been swallowed up by the Episcopa- lians, and there is not even a single congregation of them that has retained its Lutheran profession. However pious, and noble-minded and liberal, some of their ministers were, they were the servants of their ecclesiastical superiors in Sweden, from whom they derived their subsistence and un- der whose instructions they acted, to which they no doubt DUTCH AND SWEDISH LUTHERANS. 185 conformed, But they never had the right formally to resolve to accept or reject the symbolical books, unless they wished to lose their support, which was paid from Sweden, and be dismissed from the Swedish churches. It is undoubtedly true, that the instructions sent from Sweden, to Governor Printz, directed that the worship of the church of the colony should be conducted, according to the symbolical books and usages of the Swedish church. But we certainly need not in- form the reader, that their ecclesiastical superiors in Sweden were not the Lutheran church in America ; nor is it supposable that these Swedish ministers after their arrival in this coun- try, ever formally adopted a resolution that the symbolic books should be regarded as binding on them, for that was a matter of course. Still, it should not be forgotten, that the Swedish church in Europe did not receive any other Lutheran symbol than the Augsburg Confession, and Lu- ther's Smaller Catechism : so that these Swedish churches on the Delaware also certainly rejected all the other books. On the whole, then, it appears that not one of all these cases bears on the point, whether the Lutheran church in this coun- try ever formally adopted the symbolical books or not, except- ing the several individual cases of ordination, in which a pledge was in fact required. And in several of these the specific contents of the pledge are not known, though they doubtless embraced the Augsburg Confession, and possibly also the other symbolical books. These cases prove the practical adoption of at least a part of the symbolical books ; but do not touch the formal adoption of either a part or the - whole by our American church. In corroboration of this position, we add a few remarks . It is reasonable to suppose, that if the founders of our American church, had formally adopted even the Augsburg Confession alone, or all the symbolic books, at any synod or convention, they would have recognized these books as symbolic in some part or other of their liturgies or synod- ical constitutions. But in their liturgy of 1786, even the Augsburg Confession is no where mentioned, much less the other symbolic books ; excepting a direction that Catechu- mens shuold study Luther's Catechism. In the liturgy of 1818, there is a formulary for ordination, containing the - prayers, address, and even the questions proposed to the candidates; but neither the Augsburg Confession nor any « 16a 186 CASE OF THE GERMAN, other symbolic book is even named in it. Only in the. foraa for the consecration of churches is the Augsburg Confession referred to. But the study of the Catechism is enjoined, as was also the case in the former edition, and at Confirmation, in one of the formularies, the subjects profess fidelity to the doctrines of Jesus, according to the professed views or con- fession of the Evangelical church, though neither of the symbolical books is named. Again, if a synod or convention of the early ministers of our church, had ever passed a resolution formally to adopt the symbolical books, and to require assent to them, at licensure or ordination, would it not necessarily be seen in the constitution of the Synod subsequently published, in which the rights, duties, &c, of licentiates and ordained pastors, as well as the rules for Synodical and ministerial business are contained ? We have two editions of the con- stitution of the Synod of Pennsylvania, ("Ministerial Ord- nung.") The oldest is a reprint of an earlier copy, and was published in 1813 ; but that from which it is copied, proba- bly belongs to the former century. At all events, it seems to belong to the period prior to 1805; for it contains a reso- lution appended, passed June 12th, 1805, and "ordered to be incorporated with the constitution," which must therefore have existed before it. No notice is given in this edition that any alterations had been made in the constitution itself, nor is it styled a revised edition. Yet in this early constitu- tion, not a word is said of requiring a pledge, oral or writ- ten, to all or any one of the symbolical books. Since then not one of the symbolical books is even named in the de- tailed formulary for ordination in the liturgy of 1818, though the questions to be answered by candidates are there given, and nothing is said on the subject of ordination in that of 1786, and since the same is the case in' the constitution (Ministerial Ordnung) of the Synod of Pennsylvania, dating back at least to within five years of the last century, al- though the rights, duties, &c, of licentiates and ordained ministers, as well as the rules for synodical and ministerial business, are contained in it, it seems certain from the present state of the evidence, that this respectable, ancient and mother Synod of our church never did formally adopt any of the symbolical books, as a test of licensure or ordina- tion ; and that their actually having required such a pledge DUTCH AND SWEDISH LUTHERANS. 187 in various cases in practice, was done by the tacit consent of all parties, it being conceded by all that the symbolical books, and especially the Augsburg Confession, contained, with the exception of a few minor articles, a correct expose of the doctrines which they held. CHAPTER IV. Actual abandonment of all symbolic requisition at the commencement of this century, and virtual recognition ' only of the augsburg confession as to the funda- MENTALS of God's Word. We pass on to our fourth position : 4. That, about the beginning of this century the fathers of our church ceased, in fact, to require assent even to the Augs- burg Confession at licensure and ordination, and demanded only faith in the word of God, thus practically rejecting (as they had a right to do) all the symbolical books as tests; though still respecting and occasionally referring to the Augs- burg Confession as a substantial expose of the doctrines which they taught. The literal truth of this position, that all requisition of assent to any creed but that one furnished by the Holy Ghost, in the Scriptures given by his inspiration, was aban- doned about fifty years ago, is not denied. That, about the beginning of this century the custom of requiring as- sent even to the Augsburg Confession, which had been ob- served in several instances, was wholly relinquished, is just as certain as that General Washington died near the close of last century, or that Thomas Jefferson was elected Presi- dent in the first year of the present one. Numerous living witnesses yet remain to attest the fact, and it cannot be suc- cessfully denied. But, it has been supposed by some, that the abandon- ment of the practice of requiring a pledge of assent to these books, does not remove our church from the historical basis of these symbols/ 188 THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION A shrewd observer of human nature once remarked, that u names are things;" and things they doubtless are in the im- portance of their results, although in the language of the schools, they are but signs of our ideas. It cannot be de- nied, a large portion of mankind, learned and unlearned, are often deceived by the mere indefinite or figurative use of words. Of this we have a striking example in the opin- ion under consideration, namely, that our church was founded on the historical basis of these symbols, and there- fore the practical rejection of them by the church subse- quently, cannot remove her from this basis. A brief analy- sis of this opinion will demonstrate its fallacy. By our church is meant the members who constituted it at any par- ticular time, and hj our church at the period of its founda- tion, is to be understood the mass of its members at the time of their organization into a regular ecclesiastical so- ciety in this Western world, and not their successors in any other age. To be historically founded, signifies to be founded in history, that is, to be proved by events which are matters of historic record. What, then, are the historical facts con- nected with the organization of our church as recorded in history ? They have constituted the topics of a large por- tion of the discussions in these articles, and are briefly these : That the founders of our church, who probably had assented to the symbolical books in Germany, also in vari- ous informal ways avowed their belief of those doctrines here — that in several cases they required assent to one or all of these books at licensure and ordination, and at the erection of church edifices, — but that they never formally, that is, by a resolution of Synod, adopted any of these books as symbolical or binding, as tests of admission or dis- cipline — and that subsequently, about the close of last century, whilst some of the earlier ministers were yet lin- gering on the stage of action, and mingling in their coun- sels, they wholly relinquished the practice of requiring assent to any thing but the Bible. Now was there any thing in these events binding future ages ? Nay, did not these devoted men practically decide, by ceasing to use and thus practically rejecting the sj^mbolic authority of these books, that they themselves were not bound by their own previous action, after they ceased to regard it as proper? In short, there is a difference between history and prophecy* ALONE VIRTUALLY AVOWED. 189 The one relates only the past, the other the future. A his- torical basis involves no obligation on future ages, other than they approve and voluntarily assume. Thus did Lu- ther reason. He well knew that the errors and superstitions of Rome were "historically founded" in the decrees of councils, bulls of popes, the Romish missal, &c. But did he say, "therefore I must not oppose them? Or, if I wish to advocate other views, I must withdraw from the church thus historically founded on these errors ?" Every tyro in history will answer no. He began to inveigh against these corruptions because he regarded them unscriptural, and he persevered in doing so for years, without the least thought of withdrawing from the church, until he saw that he was to be excommunicated., and then he committed the papal bull to the flames, and renounced all connexion with the church of Rome. As genuine disciples of Luther, we, therefore, recognize no binding authority in the "historical foundation" referred to, as depriving us, in any degree, of our natural and individual obligations and rights. CHAPTER V. The voluntary and personal nature of ecclesiastical obligations: and the obligation of the church in evert successive age to conform her confession to the word of God. The position no vv claiming our attention is the fifth in the series, as formerly enunciated : 5. That ecclesiastical obligations are voluntary and personal; and not either hereditary or compulsory. Hence the church, that is, the ministry and laity of every age, have as good a right, and are as much under obligation to oppose, and, if possible, to change ivhat they believe wrong in the religious practice of their predecessors and to conform it to the word of God, as were Luther and the other christians of the sixteenth century. 190 NATURE OF ECCLESIASTICAL In order fully to appreciate the truth and force of this position, we must recur to first principles. What, then, is the church, whose obligations we are discussing? In a former chapter we showed, that in the view of the inspired Paul, the " Church" consisted of persons, not of things ; and of individuals, not of an abstract, ideal, corporate per- sonality. He describes it as embracing "those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Cor. i. 2. In full accordance with this is the view of Luther, who defines the church to be "the congregation, number or assemblage of all christians in all the world, who are the only bride of Christ and his spiritual body." \ Me- lancthon says the visible church is the " ccetus vocatorum seu profitentium evangelium," the assemblage of the called, or of those who profess the Gospel. The New Testament introduces us to a number of such churches, as that at Jeru- salem, at Corinth, at Ephesus, atEome, &c. From all that is said of these churches, the following points are indispu- tably established, as well a's by other evidence from Scripture and reason : 1 . That the church is no where spoken of as an abstract, corporate mass, or an ideal body possessing substantive person- ality apart from its members at any time constituting it, according to the Puseyite or Romish notion ; nor as serving as a reservoir to contain all the spiritual influences vouch- safed by God to his children, and dispensing them through her officers and sacraments to the applicants. Nor do they speak of the church as possessing or being capable of pos- sessing any character such as being faithful or unfaithful, orthodox or heterodox, that is sound or unsound in the faith ; except as these attributes are applicable to the persons then constituting the Church. Nor do they tell us that the church at Jerusalem had one confession of faith, and the church at Antioch, or Rome, another and a different one. Much less do they utter the remotest intimation that if the persons constituting the church in any particular age or country see fit to devise a human system of organization, (1) Ich glaube dasz erne heilige christliche Kirche sei auf Erden, " das ist die Gemeine und Zahl oder Versammlung aller Christen in aller Welt, die einge Brout Christi und sein geistlicher Leib." OBLIGATIONS. 191 consisting of confessions, liturgy, discipline, Schindel, senr., Lancas- ter, dated -Ouly 25th, 1821, is somewhat miscellaneous in its contents, we shall barely allude to some of its topics and then cite the portion more directly bearing on our subject. Dr. E. speaks with the highest respect of the different forms or symbols of the Lutheran church, as theological compo- sitions, excepting the Form of Concord, concerning which ■his sentiments cannot well be mistaken: "We have the Formula Concordiae, in which expulsion, condemnation, anathema were, in the most liberal manner, pronounced and poured forth against all those who were of a different opin- ion, which, however, thank God, was never received univer- sally by the Lutheran church. I would suffer both my hands to be burned of before I would subscribe that instrument" The Dr. also asserts what we have repeatedly affirmed, that the Augsburg Confession, like the other symbols, (ex- cept the Formula Concordise,) was never intended by its authors to be used as symbols to bind the consciences of others, says "the Lutheran church existed in parts of Ger- many for thirteen years, and was established throughout Saxony six years, and in Prussia, Moravia, Sweden and Denmark, several years before even the Augsburg Confes- sion was written" — "During this time they distinguished themselves as Lutherans by peremptorily and absolutely re- fusing to receive o v acknowledge, as a confession of faith, the writings and dictates of man." This book alone (the Bible) should be and should remain the foundation of their faith." Dr. Endress then quotes the opinion first of Melancthon, and secondly, of Luther, as follows : "Here they say : Shall there be no visible judge in the church, and what avails the judgment if it have no power from the judge? "To this we give this sufficient answer : It is God's will that there should be visible courts in the church, that they should be truly upheld, as it is written : 18 206 TESTIMONY OF DR. ENDRESS. Be Ecclesia, and it is not God's will that blasphemy or any erroneous doctrines should be suffered to be propagated." "And this visible judge is the church, i. e. pious ministers and others ; this visible judge is, however, strictly bound to God's Word, for these are things from God, and are con- tained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. There- fore shall no creature — no angel — no man — no pope — bishop — minister, &c, set up articles of faith or confessions against God's Word or separated from God's Word — nothing new nor different from the Holy Word of God." "Against this the philosophers and wise men of the world say, the Scriptures are uncertain, and are interpreted and explained by one portion in one way and by others in a dif- ferent way : for this reason the visible judge should have persons to decide." I could not have expressed Melancthon's opinion better in his own words, than I have done in mine, before the Synod, with- out seeing the above. What he says further in his long dissertation, amounts to this : That councils and synods may confess for themselves. Their confession, however, is not binding upon others ; but the Scriptures are binding upon all, and that they should oppose false doctrines ; but should not judge them according to the opinion of councils, synods, or confessions of faith, but according to Holy Writ. You shall now hear Luther's opinion, for fear you might think this was only Melancthon's, although that would be sufficient for the attainment of my object, because he wrote the Augsburg Confession. Luther himself says : " On the other hand, to judge of doctrinal matters, &c, we must not care for precepts of men, i. e., for things setup by men, for laws, antiquity, custom and usage, whether it be of the pope or the emperor, or prescribed by the princes or bishops, and approved by the half or whole of the world, &c. For the soul is an immortal thing, and must be gov- erned only by the Eternal Word, and for that reason we must act agreeably to God's Word. If then the Word of God and the doctrines of men are to govern the soul togeth- er, then will they unquestionably fight and war against each other. This we will abundantly prove by the following: The word and doctrines which men have set and ordered, we should leave to the judgment of bishops and learned men and councils, (synods ?) what they say should be con- TESTIMONY OF DR. ENDRESS. 207 sidered by all the world as law and articles of faith. Behold what honor ! how indecent and foolish ! It operates against the law and word of God." " For Christ establishes plainly the contrary, and takes this right and power to judge of doctrine from the bish- ops, the learned men and councils, and gives it to every one and all christians in common. John x. 4, 5, 8. " The sheep follow him ; for they know his voice. And a stran- ger will they not follow — for they know not the voice of strangers. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers ; but the sheep did not hear them." Here you see plainly who has the right to judge of doctrine. Bishops, popes, learned men and all others have power to teach ; but the sheep shall judge whether it be the voice of Christ or that of a stranger. Friend, what can these water- bubbles say who continually cry, Councils ! Councils ! You must hear the learned ! and you must look to old customs and established ways ! Do you suppose that the word of God shall give way to your old customs ? No — never ! For that reason we leave bishops and councils to conclude and set up what they please ; but where we have the word of God we shall stand with that and not with them — they must give way to us and to our word." Here you see Luther's opinion. Did he not then show the difference between him and the Romanists sufficiently ? At that time there was no confession written — but only the Scriptures. Dear brethren, if we hold to the Bible truly, sincerely, and conscientiously, we will not be Romish, nor Cs«* 7 inistic, nor Zwinglians, nor Socinians, nor Quakers, nor Methodists; we shall distinguish ourselves from them all ; nor will we condemn any one on account of mere opinion ; we shall, to be sure, find with us and among us tares and that until the harvest comes. The Lord will, however, never permit the true church to go down by misinterpretations of the Bible — " for the foundation of God will stand sure and has this inscription : " The Lord knoweth them that are his." As we have (says Dr. Endress) hitherto received the Augsburg Confession, and Luther's Catechism, and Melanc- thon's Apology, so I have no objection that they should be kept in the same reverence and respect as our 'peculiar doc- uments ; hut not to overrule the Bible. For by this shall the Lutheran church for ever distinguish itself from all other 208 TESTIMONY OF DR. ENDRESS. religious connections, that the Bible — the Bible alone shall remain the only sun in Christ Jesus, and that we rest upon human declarations of faith only in so far as they receive their light more or less from that great light. Dr. E. then speaks with the utmost respect of the different symbolic books ; and closes in these words : "What shall I answer on the question: What is the confession of faith of the Lutheran church ? Answer : I will not dictate to you what you should say ; but if I should be asked, I would say, first, and principally, and solely, and alone, the Holy Word of God contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles. The confessions of faith by the church, of the first four centuries, we hold in conformity with the Bible, and receive them, as far as I know, universally in the Lutheran church. The confession of the princes of the German empire, presented at the Diet of Augsburg, is held by all in honor and respect, and when we compare it with other human confessions, we give it a decided preference. Lu- ther's Catechism is used in all Lutheran churches, and no catechism of other religious denominations has that honor. The so called apology is in possession of very few Lutheran ministers ; but whether they have read it or not, they con- sider it a good book. The Smalkald Articles I have often read. In Germany they are taken up among the synods. I know not whether any other divine in the Lutheran church in America ever read it except Muhlenberg and Lochman. In short we hold firmly and steadfastly to our beloved Bible, when the one holds to Calvin, the other to Zwingel, a third to the Heidelberg Catechism, a fourth to the Confesssion of the Synod of Dort, a fifth to the Westminster Catechism, a sixth to the common-prayer book, a seventh to the solemn league and covenant, and the eighth to the darkened and depraved reason, per se, the ninth to reason, under the name of Holy Spirit, and the tenth to the devil himself in the form of an angel of light. But I will cleave to my beloved Bible, and hereby it shall remain. Amen." 3. Rev. Dr. Bachman, in his excellent discourse on the Doctrines and Discipline of the Lutheran church, preached in 1 837, by appointment, before the Synod of S. Carolina, and published by said body, says " The articles of the Augsburg- Confession, contain the fundamental principles of our faith." p. 10. TESTIMONY OF DRS. BACHMAN, LINTNER, 209 "In fact, the Lutheran Church has, for a century past, ceased to agitate this question, (i. e. concerning the presence and reception of the body and blood of Christ at the eucha- rist) — leaving its members to follow the dictates of con- science agreeably to the light of Scripture. This we are authorized to do without a departure from the creed of our church ; since, at our ordination, in this country especially, we only profess to believe "that the fundamental articles of the word of God, are taught in a manner substantially cor- rect, in the doctrinal articles of the Ausburg Confession." p. 24. By publishing this discourse, which the committee of Synod justly style, "able, lucid and learned," the breth- ren of that Synod naturally designed to publish to the world their approval of its views, which are precisely accordant with what we have pronounced to be the standpoint of our American Lutheran Church, fundamental agreement with the Ausburg Confession, with acknowledged difference on minor or non-fundamental points. 4. Rev. Dr. Lintner, of Hartwick Synod, "New York, together with Rev. Messrs. Crownse and D. Eyster, and Messrs. Borst and Springer, as a committee of said Synod, in the preface to their edition of the Ausburg Confession, published 1837, say: "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States, profess to adhere to the Ausburg Confession. The General Synod has adopted it as a doc- trinal standard ; although it does not require the ministers and churches in its connection, to believe every sentiment it contains on those unessential points, which caused so much contention when it was first adopted." From the pledge which the Constitution requires as licensure and ordination, . (which is then reported,) " It will appear, that we are not bound to receive the unessential points of the Confession. All that is required is, an acknowledgment, that on essential points of doctrine, it agrees with the word of God. And this we do believe. We hold, that the fundamental truths of the gospel, and the essential doctrines of salvation, are correctly set forth in the Ausburg Confession ; and in this declaration the committee know that they agree with the body of the Lutheran Church in the United States." — p. 3, 4. 1 (1) This respected brother has recently published an article exhibiting the advantages of having a creed, in opposition to some few persons in Life 18a 210 KRAUTH, KURTZ AND MILLER. 5. Rev. Dr. Krauth, about the year 1 ! 830, when residing, in Philadelphia, prepared for a new edition of Buck's The- ological Dictionary, an accurate and impartial, though very brief sketch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States, in which he gives precisely the same view of our church. " The doctrines of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (says he) are substantially those of the Confession of Ausburg. The doctrine of the Trinity, as held by those who differ from Arians and Socinians, a vicarious atonement made by the passion and death of Jesus Christ, the deprav- ity of human nature, the necessity of conversion produced by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of the body, and a future state of rewards and punishments, eternal in their duration, may be specified as the cardinal doctrines of this creed" Here the reader will perceive the same general view of our doc- trinal position ; and the doctrine of the bodily presence of the Saviour in the eucharist is very properly not included among the articles regarded as "cardinal" or fundamental. See Luth. Observer for 1831, p. 86. 6. Rev. Dr. B. Kurtz, when entering on his duties as editor of the Observer in 1 833, in his introductory expose of his principles, after affirming the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be the church of his choice, adds the following views of his duties as a Lutheran : " "While, therefore, he (the editor) regards the sacred Scriptures without note or comment, as the only infallible rule of faith and morals, he at the same time holds the prominent doctrines of the Refor- mation, as substantially set forth in the Augsburg Confession, and will consider himself bound, according to his best abili- ties, to defend and promote them." See Observer for August 24, 1833. 7. Rev. Dr. S. B. Miller, Professor of Theology in Hart- wick Seminary, New York, in his discourse preached before the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of the State of New York, in 1831, uses the following language: "No one, com- petent to judge, will deny, that it (the Augsburg Confession) contains the two following propositions : That no one who should die without having received baptism, can be saved ; vicinity, who oppose any, even the most temperate use of creeds. That article, taken in connection with his opinions here expressed, exhibit the Dr. as an enlightened friend of a creed of fundamentals, which is the ground of the General Synod. TESTIMONY OF DR. REYNOLDS, 211 and that in the Lord's Supper, we actually, not symbolically, or figuratively, but actually receive the body and blood of Christ ; the same body that was slain, the same blood that was shed on the cross. Now, few of our ministers, and few of our people, I am bold to say, in this country at least, hold such a belief." — p. 8. Here again,, one of the oldest and most respectable ministers of our church testifies, that the great mass of our ministers and laymen, have abandoned several prominent doctrines of the Augburg Confession, one of which was formerly ranked among the distinguishing doctrines of the Lutheran Church. A very few of our ministers have gone so far as to advocate the propriety of rejecting all human creeds. Among these is our esteemed friend, Professor H. I. Smith, of New York, then of Hart- wick Seminary. In a discourse, delivered before the Synod of New York, in 1834, he says : " The authority of the New Testament is sufficient for me, without requiring the sanction of either Lutheran or other creeds," &c, , both German and English, ditto ; the use of w T hich is optional. . VIII. Feature, Catechetical Instruction of the Young; proved by her providing the Catechism for this express purpose, by the specific injunction of this duty in chapter III, sec. 6 ; IV, sec. 5, and sec. 10. "It shall be the duty of the church council to watch over the religious education of the children of the church, and to see that they be occasionally collected for the purpose of being taught the Catechism of the church, and instructed in the duties and principles of the Christian Religion." IX. Feature, The admission of those who had been baptized in infancy, to sacramental communion, by confirmation. Chap. IV, sec. 5, of Formula. X. Feature, Holding of prayer meetings and family worship. Formula, Chapter VII, sec. 1. "Therefore it is earnestly recommended to the different churches in our connexion, to establish and promote them (prayer meetings) among our members, — their object is the spiritual edification of the persons present ; but the utmost precaution must ever be observed, that God, who is a Spirit, be worshipped in suirit 244 FEATURES OF THE and in truth — that these meetings be characterized by that solemnity and decorum, which ought ever to attend divine worship ; that no disorder be tolerated or any thing that is calculated to interrupt the devotions of those who are con- vened, or to prevent their giving the fullest attention to him who is engaged in leading the meeting ; in short, that accord- ing to the injunction of the Apostle, all things be done decently and in order." "It is solemnly recommended to all church members, and more especially to the members of the council, to make daily worship in their family a sacred duty." XI. Feature is Special Conferences, each containing from five to ten ministers, ordinarily to continue two days, and " the chief business to be performed at them is, to awaken and convert sinners, and to edify believers by close, practical preaching of the gospel." Formula, chap, xvi, § 1, 2, 3. XIII. The promotion of a spirit of liberality and Christian union on scriptural principles, among the different portions of our own church, and among evangelical Christian denomina tions in general. Formula, chap, xxi, Constitution of Gen- eral Synod, Art. hi, § 8. A system of Christian union, not proposing to amalgamate the different denominations of Christians, but to establish more fraternal relations between them by correspondence and occasional delegates, was adop- ted and recommended by the General Synod, and we trust will be adhered to. Having now clearly established, if we mistake not, the several positions propounded in the beginning of this article, and especially that the great mass of our churches had at the origin of the General Synod, rejected all those tenets of the former symbolical books, which they now reject, and that the General Synod established as her doctrinal basis funda- mental agreement with the Augsburg Confession, with ac- knovjledged liberty of difference on minor points; we close these articles with the earnest hope, that our ministers and laity will vindicate their rights as American Lutherans, and not suffer themselves to be deprived of their Protestant lib- erties, by the influence of old Lutherans, who have not yet been amongst us long enough to appreciate either our civil or religious institutions. American Lutheranism grew out of the Lutheran predilections of our fathers, the unrestricted liberty of following the scriptures, which they enjoyed in AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 245 this Western world, and the influence of our free civil insti- tutions. Under this joint influence they gradually rejected the symbolical bondage of Germany, and restored the orig- inal liberty in fundamentals, which Christ and his apostles bequeathed to us. They bought this liberty at the price of great sacrifices ; and shall their American sons, that were "born free," suffer it to be taken from them? As the elder fathers who participated in the organization of the General Synod, have nearly all passed from the stage, we regarded it due to them and to the interests of truth, to contribute our mite to prevent the future misapprehension of their doctrinal position, as well as their views and motives in organ- izing the General Synod. Many of the relevant documents also have become exceedingly rare, and a few yeais more will sweep many of these into oblivion. As we have for thirty years done in regard to the Lutheran church, what the earliest Christian historian, Eusebius, tells us, he did in regard to the church of the earlier ages, namely, collected all the documents we could find ; it seemed desirable that the testimony contained in them on the points at issue, should be made available to the present generation of Lutherans. We have, therefore, spread before the church all the princi- pal facts in the case, and some of the reasons which led the General Synod to assume the enlightened and liberal, apos- tolic ground which she occupies ; and our confidence in the intelligence and enlightened piety of our ministers and laity is too strong to countenance a doubt, that under the guid- ance of the good Spirit of our God, they will manfully main- tain their ground. If our old Lutheran brethren are willing to regard their peculiarities as non-essential, and live in peace with us, they are welcome to take part with us in our ministry and ecclesiastical organizations ; but if they cannot refrain from either regarding or denouncing us as dishonest, and pseudo Lutherans, and perjured, because we do not be- lieve every thing contained in confessions which we never adopted, and because we will not adopt books as symbolical, which contain numerous errors and Romish superstitions ; for ourselves, whilst we wish them well as individuals, we ■ desire no ecclesiastical communion with them, either in our Synods, or General Synod; and believe it will be for the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ, that they should be 21a 246 AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. associated with those who share their intolerance and big- otry. In less than twenty years they will themselves see their error, and change their position, and their children will be worthy members of our American Lutheran Church. VI. DISCOURSE. VOCATION OF THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. The term vocation (vocatio) has, from time immemorial, occupied a position in the nomenclature of Systematic The- ology, in application to individual sinners, to designate that invitation given to the unconverted, by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace, to repent of their sins, and ac- cept the offers of mercy on the conditions prescribed in the gospel. 1 But what do we understand by the vocation of a church? To this question we shall, in the premises, en- deavor to present a generic solution, and then carry out our idea to its specific details, giving a tangible and visible form to the abstract conception. On another occasion, we published our convictions on the subject of Church Development in general ; and arrived at the following results : That those points of doctrine, expe- rience, and duty in the Christian religion, are unchangeable, which, in the judgment of the great mass of the Protestant churches, are clearly revealed in God's word, and as far as thus revealed ; whilst all not thus clearly determined, all in re- gard to which a diversity of opinion exists between the different Evangelical churches, are less certain, and are proper subjects for amicable, fraternal discussion, and progressive develop- ment. The points which this rule furnished as fundamental and unchangeable, are those enunciated by the Evangelical Alliance of all Protestant churches, held at London in 1846, (1) Thus Calovius : Vocatio ad ecclesiam est infidelium extra ecclesiam positorum ad ecclesiam per verbum et sacramenta a Deo ex gratia dispen- sata, efficax adductio. 248 VOCATION OF THE and re-affirmed by the Synod of our church in Maryland, namely: 1, The divine inspiration, authority, and suffi- ciency of the Holy Scriptures; 2, the right and duty of private judgment in the interpretation of the Scriptures; 3, the unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of Persons therein ; 4, the utter depravity of human nature in conse- quence of the fall ; 5, the incarnation of the Son of God, his work of atonement for sinners of mankind, and his me- diatorial intercession and reign ; 6, the justification of the sinner by faith alone ; 7, the work of the Holy Spirit, in the conversion and sanctification of the sinner ; 8, the di- vine institution of the Christian ministry, and the obligation and perpetuity of Baptism and the Lord's Supper ; and 9, the immortality of the soul, and the judgment of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with the eternal blessedness of the righteous, and eternal punishment of the wicked. These fundamentals stand acknowledged by Protestant Christen- dom, as so many imperishable pillars of the church. They constitute a zone of light encircling this glorious edifice, seen and admired by all, who do not close their eyes on its benignant rays. On the other hand, we maintained, that the appropriate and extensive field for church development, lies only in nonfundarnentals, in points not clearly deter- mined in the records of inspiration ; and that within these bounds the church is developed numerically, geographic- ally, ritually, juridically, exegetically, theologically, and economically. As the development of the church is confined to nonfun- damental aspects of truth, and to points not clearly settled in Scripture, it follows that the special vocation of every portion of the church, must lie in the same field, and be cir- cumscribed by the same metes. It is only in regard to points left undecided in revelation, that we can expect to find the lessons of instruction in the book of Providence, inculcating the propriety of change or amendment. In the progress of this development in nonfundarnentals, the par- ticular circumstances and incidents of the phenomenal ex- perience of different churches, will be found to vary. The character of the population, belonging to a particular branch of Christ's visible kingdom, may elevate or reduce the in-, tellectual and literary standard of her ministry, and by con- sequence, that of the ministrations of her sanctuaries. The AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 249 institutions with which any particular church started in her career, may have derived a peculiar character from the government under which they were adopted, and from the historic influences amid which she was formed. Where ar- bitrary power has for ages ruled the civil destinies of a people, the management of her ecclesiastical, and even do- mestic affairs, will exhibit a correspondent impress. Even the constitutional peculiarities of particular controlling indi- viduals, who organized the elements thrown into chaotic disorder by the commotions of ecclesiastical revolution, may be traced in the creations to which they give being. Who does not recognize the rigid disciplinarian tendency of Wesley's mind, in the entire system of government and discipline still retained by that efficient and extended por- tion of the church of Christ? Or the re^al orio-in and aristocratic bias of the Church of England, in the strict gradations, and conservative tendencies of her episcopal hi- erarchy ; or the lingering habits of subjection to civil supe- riors, in the consistories and superintendences of Germany, notwithstanding the strong Congregational convictions of her leaders as to primitive Christianity ? Whilst, therefore, the grand vocation of all portions of the Christian church, is to conform their institutions to the word of God, and to "let their light so shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father who is in heaven," the history of each individual cluster or denomination of churches, may be peculiarly adapted to inculcate some special lessons of instruction. The general vocation of the Lutheran church, in which all other churches participate with her, we at present pass over, and direct our attention to special duties inculcated by Providence, not on our friends in Europe, but on the American Lutheran Church. And when we speak of the American Lutheran Church, we intend not only those Synods now connected with our Gen- eral Synod, together with the mother Synod of Pennsylva- nia, by which the General Synod was mainly formed, and to whose influence, numerical and theological, the Constitu- tion of that Synod chiefly owes its enlightened and apos- tolic features ; but also all other Synods and individuals, who have acquired a proper consciousness of their concrete existence in this free country, and who sympathize with the circumstances of our times and free institutions. Nor is this 250 VOCATION OF THE designation applicable only to those born in our midst, al- though they constitute the great mass of our church. We are proud also to number in our ranks many excellent and enlightened, and some learned men, who left the land of our fathers, dissatisfied with the civil and ecclesiastical con- dition of things, and having been conducted by the hand of Providence to this Western world, have not only learned to love the freedom and wisdom of our well-balanced civil institutions ; but have also attained a consciousness of the fact, that one grand part of the vocation of the American churches is, to throw off the shackles of traditionary, pa- tristic, and symbolic servitude ; and availing themselves of the liberty secured by the divorce of church and state, to review the ground of Protestant organization, and to resume the Scripture lineaments of Christianity. Yea, we number men of high standing amongst us, who, under the evangeli- cal influence of our liberal ecclesiastical arrangements, have gradually cast off the impressions of a perverted and neo- logical education, and cordially adopting the grand funda- mentals of Gospel truth, stand forth in defence of evangelical but enlightened Christianity : men, who aim to improve our church, not merely by a recurrence to the principles of the Reformation, but also by going higher, and drawing from the very fountains of sacred truth and love, whence the re- formers themselves derived those streams that refreshed and enlightened the benighted and priest-ridden nations of Europe ; men, too enlightened and well acquainted with the whole field of theological science, to suppose that the three eventful centuries since the Reformation, had made no pro- gress in knowledge, had reflected no light upon the path, on which the church is to travel onward to her appointed destiny. In Germany the church is still hampered by her relation to the State, to which the majority of the truly pious un- wisely cling. She has thus been prevented from settling down on the improved results of a scriptural development, which would have dictated the separation of the fundamen- tally orthodox from every species of neologians. Had the church in Germany been separated from the State, and all the pious united into one church, adopting merely the three ancient creeds, the Apostolical, the Mcene, and the Athan- asian, and required a rigid bona fide assent to them, with a AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 251 scriptural system of church discipline ; the divine power of the Gospel would not only have soon given preponderance to this emancipated and apostolic church, and spread her influence over the whole land : but she would actually have possessed far more doctrinal purity than at present ; for now every form of heresy, from the mildest Semipelagianism to the rankest Socinianism and Deism, Communism and Pan- theism, are found within her pale. And should even the Augsburg Confession and Heidelburg Catechism have been added, with the express proviso, that any person holding the tenets of either of these symbols, or a selection from both, should be regarded in good standing in the renovated church, all insuperable difficulties would have been re- moved. A separation would thus be effected betwesn the neologians and orthodox, distinct churches would be organ- ized, and experience would soon prove, that the neological religious consciousness sits too loosely on the mind, to urge its subjects to a voluntary support of their ministry ; whilst the friends of Jesus would there, as in our own country, in England, and Scotland, give a moderate, though ad- equate support to those ministrations of the sanctuary, with which they believe their salvation closely connected. But, hitherto, the attachment to state establishments, conflicting pecuniary interests, and the lingering spirit of sectarianism, have frustrated this happy result. From the bottom of our hearts we say, both in regard to Germany and our own country, Faxit Deus feliciter. But in our own happy land, in which all can worship God unmolested, under their own vine and fig tree ; in this asy- lum for the oppressed of all nations, this heaven-appointed theatre for the free development of man in his social, civil, and religious interests, our church, standing on her high vantage ground, should review the past, carefully ponder the lessons it teaches, and maintain a position, which, whilst it is firmly based on the fundamentals of the Gospel, adds only those peculiarities of our ecclesiastical ancestors, which have generally commended themselves to the enlightened, orthodox, and pious portions of our church, and vindicates a rational liberty on all other points. What are the great landmarks of this position, how it can best be secured, and in how far it has been attained by our General Synod, are 252 VOCATION OF THE points which will be more clearly perceived in the progress of our discussion. I. Since, as eldest sister of the Reformation, our church was first to express the grand Protestant principle of exclu- sive, infallible authority of the Bible, in antithesis to tradition and human authority, and yet was prevented from carrying it out to its legitimate sequences ; it is part of her vocation to complete the work so happily begun. The sufficiency of a revelation from Heaven, without the auxiliary light of tradition, is the natural corollary of its di- vinity itself. The very reason which rendered the one ne- cessary, implies the invalidity of the other. If uninspired human teachings had been reliable, as sources of new truth, a revelation would have been superfluous. Hence the fact, that God inspired holy men of old to speak as the Spirit guided them, seems to establish the insufficiency of mere uninspired human deduction. But this word of revelation being admitted as divine, its own declarations must forever settle this point. The same inspired Apostle who declared all Scripture to be divinely inspired, (dsowsugog) and able not only to subserve some purposes of the man of God, but to make him "perfect," thoroughly furnished, not only for some, but ''for all good works;" has also explicitly pro- nounced the Holy Scriptures competent to teach us the su- preme and vital interests of man, "able to make us wise unto salvation." Whilst he warns us to beware of any and every teacher, even if it were an angel from heaven, who should preach any other doctrine than that taught by him- self, (and contained in his epistles,) and whilst he pro- nounces the curse of God upon him ; the disciple whom Jesus loved, in the book placed last in the canonical collec- tion, whether last written or not, adds the fearful menace : " if any one shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." Since, then, it is evident that God designed his revelation to be as com- plete as it is infallible, to be the standing and only certain guide to his church in all ages ; we urge the inquiry upon every ingenuous mind, upon every true disciple of our blessed Master, and especially upon ministers of the Gos- pel, what should be our unflinching determination on this subject? Certainly, that which the noble minded Luther and his Spartan band of coadjutors adopted, to adhere to AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 253 the word of God, in opposition not only to angels and devils, but to popes, cardinals and councils, whenever, in our judg- ment, they come in conflict with this divinely authenticated voice of Heaven. "No man (said Luther) can or ought to doubt, that every thing contrary to the commands of God, whether it be living or dying, taking a vow or becom- ing free, speaking or remaining silent, is to be condemned, and by all means to be abandoned, changed and avoided. For the will of God must be supreme, and must be done in heaven and on earth. Matth. 6: 10." And if the profes- sions of any man were ever put to the test, Luther's were at the memorable diet of Worms, when summoned to recant his doctrines before that august court of the empire. His truly sublime answer, synonymous with that of the apos- tle's to the Jewish Sanhedrim, and given when he expected 'it would cost his life, has for three centuries been the sub- ject of admiration to the civilized world: "Except I can be convinced by clear and conclusive reasoning, or by proofs taken from the Holy Scriptures, I neither can nor will recant ; because it is neither safe nor advisable to do any thing which is against my conscience. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me ! Amen." The same principle he has expressed in various parts of his works. One or two passages must suffice. "Hitherto," says he, "all cases which arose concerning true and false doctrine, were referred to a council, or to the Pope at Rome, or to the universities, which were to be umpires. But these are not Gilead, they have misled and deceived us. But the Holy Scriptures pronounce the decision, as to whose instruc- tions are correct or erroneous. For although the Holy Ghost instructs every one in his heart, so that he knows what is right ; it is still necessary to resort to the Scriptures, in order to prove the accuracy of our views. It is the Scriptures which decide whether our faith is correct or not. Therefore, we can look for no farther evidence, either of the fathers or councils ; but must adhere exclusively to the clear declarations of Scripture." ! Again, " God's word is the only certain rule which cannot deceive us." 2 Once more: "The right of free judgment we must retain, so as not to suffer ourselves to be bound indiscriminately by what (1) Luther's Works, Walch's edit. vol. 3, p. 754. (2) Vol. 1, p. 1854. 22 254 VOCATION OF THE the councils or fathers have taught ; but we must make this difference : if they have decided and appointed any thing according to God's word, we also receive it, not on their account, but on account of the same divine word, on which they rest, and to which they refer us." 1 Here, then, wo have a distinct avowal of the paramount and exclusively in- fallible authority of the Scriptures, an avowal in direct con- flict with the oath which he had taken when he was created Doctor of Divinity, in which he "had solemnly sworn "to obey the church of Rome, and not to teach any doctrines con- demned by her.y 1 And it shall be supposed that he, whose sublime principles thus elevated him above the fate of emperors and kings, and cardinals and popes, contended against popes and bishops only to occupy their station himself, and wield a similar au- thority ? That he who was so evidently guided by the fear of God, when contending against the decrees of councils, the authority of the fathers, and the bulls of popes, did so in order that men should bow to his opinions- and make him the subject of similar idolatry ? No, he neither did so himself, nor did others attempt it during his lifetime. It was not until more than a quarter of a century after his death, that not the church or body of believers ; but some secular princes usurping authority not confided to them by God, together with some learned and excellent, but mistaken theologians, undertook to prescribe a doctrinal test to ministers in gen- eral, and thus dictate to them not only the general and fun- damental doctrines of Christianity, but an extended detail of particulars, in one case at least, commanding the belief (1) Idem, vol. ix. p. 631. (2) As this oath is a literary curiosity, we subjoin it in the original, for the gratification of our learned readers: ''Ego juro Domino Decauo et Magistris Facultatis Theologise obedientiam et reverentiam debitam, et in quocunque statu utilitatem universitatis, et maxime Facultatis Theologicse, pro virili mea procurabo, et omnes actus theologicos exercebo in mitra, (nisi fuerit religiosus) vanas. peregrinas doctrinas, ab ecclesia damnatas, et piarilm aurium offensivas non dogmatisabo, sed dogmatisantem Dn. Decano denunciabo intra octendium, et manutenebo consuetudines liber- tates et privilegia Theologies; Facultatis pro virili mea, ut me Deus adju- vet, et Sanctorum evangeliorum conditores. Juro etiam Romance ecclesia obedientiam. et procurabo pacem inter Magistros et Scholasticos seculares et religiosos, et bi return in nullo alio gymnasio recipiam." Lib. Statuto- rum facultatis theol. Academiee Wittemberg. Cap. 7. AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 25& of a doctrine from which Luther had receded, the ubiquity or omnipresence of Christ's body ! Yes, let it ever be re- membered that Luther himself was no symbolic Lutheran, and that this whole system of minute confessional servitude, was riveted on the church long after Luther and Melancthon had been translated to a better world. But although these two distinguished servants of Christ, guided by their supreme reverence for the Bible, accom- plished wonders in casting off the major part of the errors and prejudices of their Romish education ; they did not live to complete the work, nor had they power to introduce all the reforms, the necessity of which had become clear to their vision. They were therefore alike too wise and too humble, to desire the stadium of their attainments to be the ne plus ultra of reform. Against the practice of designating the 'church of the Reformation by his name, Luther protested in the most energetic manner, alledging it to be a repetition of Corinthian sectarianism, condemned by Paul. " The Pa- pists," says he, "may well have party names, because they are not satisfied with the doctrines and names of Christ, and desire also to be popish. Then let them be called after the Pope, who is their master. But I am not and will not be any one's master" Yet it was not only against this abuse of his name, that the noble-hearted Luther protested ; it was far from his desire that his writings should be invested with binding authority on his successors. " If any person," said he in the latter part of his life, (1539,) "desires to have my writings, let him by til means not suffer them to inter- fere with his study of the scriptures themselves, but treat them as I do the papal decrees, and the works of the soph- ists, that is, though I occasionally look into them to see what they have done, or to take an account of the history of the times, it is not for the purpose of studying them, as though I must act according to their views." ' "I have no cata- logue of my works, and not even all the books themselves, and I would much rather that men would read the Bible alone, instead of my works." 2 And finally he says, " Read my books, compare them with the writings of our opponents, and both with the scriptures, and then judge them according to this touchstone." 3 (1) Preface to his German Works. (2) Letter to Ursinus. (3) Lnther's Works, 3d vol., p. 256. 256 FEATURES OF THE It is therefore the duty of Christians of the present day, and especially of this favored country, where liberty of conscience is our birthright, to act on the noble principles adopted by these reformers, and to produce them to practice in those cases also, in which their Romish education prevent- ed them from doing so. It is the special vocation of the American Lutheran church to forsake, as she has done, those remnants of Romanism and also those anti-papal superstitions which the church of Rome had borrowed from the earlier fathers, and which the first reformers failed to renounce. It is our vocation to cast off all regard for the authority of the fathers, Nicene and Anti-Nicene, Romish and Protestant, excepting what justly attaches to them on account of the intrinsic force of their arguments, or their character and opportunities as witnesses of facts ; for no point in patristic theology is more fully established than the numerous and serious aberrations of even some of the ear- liest so-called fathers from the truth of God. Yea, it is cer- tain, that the whole of them as a body are not more reliable as expositors of scripture than the same number of respect- able authors in the different evangelical churches of our day. It is our duty to do as Luther did, to look up through the long vista of antiquity to the era of the apostles, and from that high standpoint to form a scriptural judgment not only of the corruptions of Rome, but of the doctrines and practice of all past ages. Had Luther acted on the princi- ples of many now bearing his name, he would have founded his Christianity and the organization of his church on the basis of his great theological favorite, Augustine. He would have selected one or more of his works, either that entitled " Be Civitate Dei," in which he defends the Christian reli- gion against the heathen, or more probably his "Enchiridion (or Manual) ad Laurentium, sive defide, spe et caritate liher," in which he gives an account of his doctrinal views and those of the church. This he would have made symbolical, pledging himself to abide by its contents for life, and bind- ing all who united with his ministry to the same produc- tion. And this church he would have baptized as the Au- gustinian church. But no, Luther had not so learned Christ. He could discriminate between inspired and uninspired wri- tings, between the books of God and those of men. Whilst, therefore, he avowed his assent to the three ecumenical ■^^^^"" AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 257 creeds, the Apostolic, the Nicene and the Athanasian, which are confined to fundamentals, and are very short, he never adopted as binding any extended creed, nor suffered any human productions to deprive him of that liberty conceded by the word of God. He continued through life to improve his views of doctrine and duty, by the light of scripture, and in the most emphatic language inculcated on others the obligation to do likewise. That he was intolerant to Zwingli, and his followers, belongs to the imperfections of the age and of the man, not to his general principles of action. Temporum culpa fuit, non ejus. And were he still living we doubt not, he would hurl his denunciation at the intole- rant ultra-Lutherans of our day, as he did at Carlstadt and Zwingli of old, only, by this time, in milder phrase. How completely our General Synod has fulfilled her voca- tion in this respect, is evident from the fact that she makes no reference to the fathers, ancient or modern, thus leaving them all to stand on their intrinsic merits as theological authority, and as witnesses to historical facts ; whilst the former symbolical books, after having pronounced the fath- ers fallible, nevertheless cite their views and arguments in multitudes of cases. II. As she has experienced the baneful effects of transfunda- mental and very extended creeds, it is her vocation to correct the evil. We have seen that Luther never desired any of his publi- cations to be binding on others. Still farther was any dis- position of this kind, removed from the mind of the unas- suming Melancthon. All those publications of theirs, which were afterwards made symbolical, were composed and pub- lished for other puposes. How then did it happen, that these publications assumed so unexpected a character ? The true state of the facts in the case is, we think, given by Dr, Ecellner, in his Symbolik. 1 "The symbolical books, (as they are afterwards styled, ) were at first merely an expres- sion of what was believed, and afterwards they became the rule of what must be believed. But when, and how this was first done, by public authority, it is very difficult to de- termine. The traces and evidences of it are often fallacious ; (1) Vol. I, p. 106,107. 22a. 258 VOCATION OF THE because cases in which such a subscription to a creed was merely requested and voluntarily given, may easily be ad- duced as cases in which the subscription was commanded. It however appears to be true, that some individual symbols had so much authority attributed to them, as to be recom- mended as rules of faith and of instruction, and in some instances also commanded, long before the formation of the Form of Concord," (which was half a century after the publication of the Augsburg Confession.) "Nevertheless this does not appear to have occurred everywhere at the same time, nor in the same manner ; nor does the principle of binding men to the symbols, seem to have been a univer- sal and prevailing one, prior to the formation of the Form of Concord in 1580, or before the prevalence of the contro- versies which originated from its formation. But a change took place about the time the Form of Concord was com- posed, and on account of its formation and after it. Prior to this time, some cases had occurred of oppressive coercion in matters of faith, and of compulsory adoption of the sym- bols as a rule of faith and instruction ; but afterwards they became more numerous." These positions of Dr. Koellner sustains by numerous authorities, which even fix the precise time, when, at different places, the custom of demanding assent to these symbols was first introduced. It seems evi- dent, therefore, that the habit of ascribing normative or binding authority to these books, though in a few instances it was done at an early day, was of gradual growth, and did not become general for half a century after the Augsburg Confession was published and used as an expose or profession of faith, and many years after the death of Luther. It was the mistaken impression, that a general introduction and more stringent exaction of assent to these books, and the fabrication of another determining the several disputed points left free in them, would secure peace, that led to the forma- tion of the Form of Concord, and to the imposition on the church, of the .whole system of symbolic oppression. Whilst we deny the wisdom and dispute the Scripture authority of the political rulers of a country to impose any, much less such extended confessions of faith on their subjects ; we, nevertheless, do not doubt the upright and benevolent inten- tion of the Elector Augustus of Saxony, and of John Wil- liam, Duke of Weimar, in ordering their principal theologians AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 259 to Altenburg, to deliberate on the best method of termina- ting these disputes : nor of the Duke of Wurtemberg, and of Julius, Duke of Brunswick, in imposing on the distinguished James Andrese of Tubingen and his associates, the duty of preparing the Form of Concord, which was finally adopted, and together with all the other symbolical books, made binding in their territory, June 25th, 1580. Nor do we hesitate to concede the purity of those distinguished divines, who cordially co-operated in this work, That diversity of opinion existed among the followers of Luther,- on different points of nonfundamental importance, is historically certain ; and when his death removed that restraint, which his per- sonal influence and energy of character had imposed on them, they gave free utterance to their opinions. A very large proportion of the divines rejected Luther's view of the •bodily presence in the Lord's Supper, and coincided more or less with that of Melanchthon. It is also certain, that their wily enemies, the Catholics, were employing these differences as arguments to urge upon the Emperor the revocation of the treaty of peace of 1555, which limited toleration to those, who worshipped according to the Augs- burgh Confession. 1 This was, however, only a pretext, and would not have induced the Emperor to venture on such a step, until political reasons inclined him to it. When this contingency actually did arise, about forty years afterward, the forcible extinction of Protestantism was attempted by fire and sword, although the Form of Concord had driven from the bosom of the Lutheran church, the great mass of those who could not embrace all the peculiarities of the Augsburg Confession. We strongly favor the opinion, that the adoption of a liberal platform, by uniting the two great branches of the Protestant church, or rather by preventing in a great degree the schism itself, would have presented so formidable a front, as to have prevented the " Thirty years' War." But that the adoption of the Form of Concord, and with it that unreasonably extended symbolic system, however (1) The fourth article of the treaty was in these words : " Attamen ceteri onmes, qui alteri prscnominatarum harum binarum religionurn (that is, the Lutheran and Catholic) non sint adhsererentes, sub hac pace non compre- hensi. sed plane exclusi esse debant." For Zwinglians and Calvinists there was no toleration in this treaty. 260 VOCATION OF THE well-intended, was a mistaken step, is evident from various considerations. It may justly be objected that the Scriptures have furnished us no confession of faith, an omission that was certainly not accidental, if their inspiration be conceded. Nor have they conferred authority on any one, to impose such a yoke upon the church, or to abridge her liberty in nonessentials. The only grounds which justify the adoption of even a short creed, are to exclude fundamental errorists, those who deny that Jesus is the Christ, or reject any other vital truth of the Gospel, and to produce uniformity suffi- cient for harmonious co-operation. Accordingly, during the golden age of Christianity, under the guidance of the apos- tles and their successors, the church for three centuries had no other creed than that termed the Apostolic and then the Nicene Creed. It was the opinion of the Nicene fathers who framed that creed, that its specifications were sufficiently ample for all practical purposes. Athanasius himself the Coryphaeus of the orthodox party in that council, thus une- quivocally expresses their conviction : "H yap iv aurvj Trapot 244, 245. " " " literature and theologians of, 74-84. " church, transplanted from other countries, 91. Apostolic basis, 66, 67. " creed, 68. Army, clergy in, 24. Authority of the Fathers rejected, 60. Augsburg Confession, not wholly received by the General Synod, 227. " " fundamentals of. only binding, 233, 162. " " symbolical specifications in, 181. " " doctrines of, received by the Saltzburg emigrants, 183, 184. " " sdopted by the Swedes on the Delaware, 185. « " abandoned, 187. " " * how received by Synods, 202, " •* essentially adhered to by General Synod, 203. " " word of God substantially set forth in, 209. " " not received unrestrictedly by Synod of North Caro- lina, 218. " " Henkelites' misapprehension of, 219. " received on different occasions, 157. " " an exposition of doctrines, 158, 159. " the only symbol received by Muhlenberg and his associates, 171. " Shober dissents from, 175. 276 INDEX. Augsburg Confession, pledge to. not binding to the other symbols, 177,, 378. " " candidates assent to, required, 168. Augustinian view opposed by Melancthon's theory, 88. Auricular Confession rejected, 159. Awakened persons, how dealt With, 106. Baptismal regeneration, 241. Bible opposed to tradition, 252. " assent to, alone required, 189, 159. " the only infallible rule of faith and practice, 167, 243. Books referred to as subsidiary to the Bible, 50. Brief creed of General Synod, 271-2. Buonaparte's religion, 66. Catechism, 102. Catechumens examined by the church council, 56. Calvin on the eucharist, 61. Catechism, Westminster, 193. Summary of Christianity, 193, 194. Luther's, 199, 200. Calvinism of Luther, 85 m Catechetical instruction. 113, 114. Opposed, 114. Churches in Philadelphia destroyed, 24. " what they could accomplish, 235. Church, state of before the General Synod, 29. " development, 248. " Lutheran, leading principles of, 49. " government, 52-56. " infant membership of, 54, 55. Churches and ministers, number of, 58. Church, revivals in, 38, 93. " duty of, to give an exposition of her doctrines, 42. " English Lutheran in Pittsburg, 43, 44. " history of, divided into three periods, 14. " in America, 18. " colonial era of, 14. " duty of to adopt short creeds, 69. " not supplied with English preaching, 102. ** the New Amsterdam, how styled, 183. " how founded, 188. " of what it cousists, 190. " Luther's definition of, 190, " history, importance of, 90, 91 . " progressive, 91, 92. organization, grand design of, 93. •' in Germany, polemic character of, 94. " ideal membership of, 162. m Church Peeling, reply to the writer on, 269, 270, 271. Christianity, introduced among the Germans, 46. Christian church, features of, 155. Change of elementary principles, 47. Christ's spiritual presence in the eucharist, 62. Christ's visible church, 41. Communicants, requirement of, 116. INDEX. Converts among the slaves, 110, 111. Corporeal presence in the eucharist, 179. Controversy between Lutheran and Calvinistic divines, 89. Confession of faith in the Lutheran church, 208. Compulsory assent to the symbols, 195. Communion,, preparatory exercises to, 64. Confession, private, relinquished, 63. " " approved by some of the reformers, 64. Congregations choose their own pastors, 49. Confession and absolution rejected, 239. Creeds required of applicants for ordination, 68. " approved, 169. " proposed for adoption, 272. Deist reclaimed, 110. Development., church, 247. Discord in the church, 182. Discipline, character of, 32. Doctrines of orthodox denominations, 51. " of Luther introduced into Sweeden and Denmark) 57, I " of the symbolical books rejected, 174. " taught in the Theological Seminarv, 229, 269. of General Synod, 226. " in common with other churches, 69, 70. Doctrine, systematic adjustment of, 65. m Duty of churches in reference to symbols and traditions, 250. Duty, views of, 194. East Pennsylvania Synod, co-operation of, 30. Ecclesiastical relations, right to change, 189. Obligations, 158. Electicism of the fathers, 118. Effort to establish institutions. 34. English churches joined by descendants of German Lutherans, 4., " preaching by the early Lutheran fathers, 101. " " church suffers for want of, 102. Episcopal church. Lutherans reject the offer to unite with, 104, Episcopacy, divine right of. 104-5. Errors of old Lutheranism destined soon to perish, 245-6. Europe, union of church and state in, 235. Eucharist, Melancthon's views of ; change, 241, " Saviour's presence in, 61. " Cranmer and Ridley's views of, 62. ", reformers' \ iews rejected, 62, 63. " Lutherans at the present day, view of, 63. Europe, reign of infidelity, 66. Eucharist, real presence in, 215, 216. Exorcism, retained by Luther and Melancthon, 238, 159. " relinquished in Saxony. 239 ; rejected, 65. Excitement, religious, through Whitefield's preaching, 96. fathers, educational period of, 36. " practical piety of, 36. 24 277 278 INDEX. Fathers to be imitated only as far as they imitate Christ, 256. " and symbolical books, 257. " approve of revivals. 98, 112, 113; labor among all classes, 110, " questions aslced at licensure by the, 36, 37. Fashionable vices exposed, 100. Festivals, 54, 103. First Lutheran Synod held, 21. Figurative meaning of the words, "this is my body," &c, 150. " expressions of the Saviour on other occasions, 151. " interpretation by Luther, 126; objections to, 127. Form of Concord, when formed, 258; published, 164; rejected, 165; bj the king of Denmark, 261 . Fundamentals of Christianity, 248. Germany, Lutheran church in, how effected by symbols, 264, 265, " Reformed church in, 262. " aids in establishing churches in America, 18. '• the fountain head of Lutheranism, 44. Germans, characteristics of, 45. " religion of, 45, 46. " oppressed by Romish intolerance, 16. " destitution of, 17. " settlement of, in North Carolina, 18. " integrity and benefit of, 27, 28. " sympathize with the American Church, 28, 29. " labor to perpetuate their language, 102. General Synod, doctrinal position of, 160, 161, 257. " " agreement in, 212. » era of, 29. " " influence of, 30. " " how regarded, Luther's catechism, 228. " " grand design of, 232. " " formation of, 14. Georgia, first settlement of Lutherans in, 17. Henkel and the Henkelites, 215, 217. Henkelites, anti-Lutheran doctrines of, 218. Imputation, doctrine of, rejected, 159, 173. " of Adam's sin, 242. Inexpediency of binding to the symbolical books, 182. Infidelity, effects of, 98. Influence of Wesley, 249. Institution, why not established, 34. Instruction of the young, 55. Kirchenagende, the, 26. Koinonia, different significations of, 134. Laity unite in the vocation of the ministers, 32. Lesson that may be learned from the review, 39, 40. Liturgies U9ed in the worship, 54; composed, 103; when used, 104. literary and theological institutions of the church, 58. INDEX. 279 Liberality and christian union, 249. " of Whitefield, 18. Literal sense of a passage, whea to be deviated from, 123. Lord's Supper, design, of, 145-7, 148-9. Luther disregards his offical oath, 195. " opposed to his followers being called by his name, 196. " urges to the study of the Bible, 197-8, 59, 255. " Luther and his Spartan band, 47. Luther's ordination proved valid, 47-8. " views modified by Melancthon, 65. >' " predestination, 66. Luther regarded as standard of orthodoxy, 60. " opposed to tradition — adheres to the Bible, 253-4. Lutherans in Russia, 57. " in the entire world, 58. Lutheran fathers not inferior to the New England divines, 39. " name, whence derived, 43. " and Reformed churches united, 167, 222-3. " ministers, literary position of, 26, 33 ; labors, 34. " position of, 230.* " ministers in New York, 15. " church in Sweden, Norway and Finland, 73, 74. Lutherans, for want of English preaching, become Episcopal, 16. " first settlement of, 14; second, 15; third, 16. settle in Maine, 18. " rapid increase of, 21. " destitution of, 98; youth neglected, 98. Mass retained in the Augsburg Confession, 241. Meeting for catechization, 55, 56. Ministers, parity of, 156. " not bound to the minutia of creeds, 67. " bound only to the Bible, 184. Muhlenberg and liturgies, 170. " his manner of preaching, 57. arrival of, 19, 20. Names given to Luther, 60. New Testament ordination, 71. Nicene creed, 260. No pardon to the impenitent, 64. Normative authority of symbols, 197. Oath, 196. Obstacles to religion, 21. Objections to the ubiquity of Christ's body, 138. Old confessions, occasions of, 220. Ordain, passages in which occurs, 72. Order in worship, 105. Ordination, proof texts of, 71, 72. Ordination of ministers, 71. Orphan house erected by the Saltzbergers, 17. Passover, institution of, 143. 280 INDEX. Pastoral labors, 108-9. Passages supposed to favor Luther's view of the Real Presence, 132-3. Pennsylvania legislature endows a college for the Germans, 27. Piety, decline of, 25. Popular Theology, opinion of Drs. Kurtz and Morris, 231, 270. Preaching, manner of, 99, 100, 101. " in different languages, 33. " of Spener and Pranke — revival, 94, 95. Prayer meetings encouraged. 37, 38 ; established. 106. " " at Philadelphia and Lancaster, 108. " Lutheran fathers, men of, 107. Real presence held by the Reformers, 201. " " views held by Lutherans of the present day, 20] '•' " rejected by all Protestants, 13*2. " " and baptismal regeneration, 210, 211. Reformers appear, 4G-7. " men of extensive learning, 59. Retrospect rich in blessings, 38-9. " preliminary remarks on, 11-13. Responsibility, individual, 192. Religious and ecclesiastical obligation not hereditary, 159. Revivals, Dr. Kunz, 113. Romish sacrament, validity, 49. " church, corruptions canhonized, 48. " doctrine of transubstantiation, 125. Saviour's passion, 180. Saltzburgers, Balzius and Gornau, settle among, 17. School, plan for English and German, 27. Scripture, how interpreted, 122. " language, 121. to be searched, 191, 192. Smalkald Articles, rejected, 165-6. Special conferences, 117-18. Sufferings of Christ, 86-87. Symbolical book never made a test of discipline, 188. " " how regarded by Synods, 185-6. Symbolic rigor relaxed, 157. Synod, constitutions of, 213. Symbols, extensive occasions of discord, 265-6. Tennessee Conference, position of, 216, 217. " " opinion of the General Synod, 226, 227. Temperance advocated by Muhlenberg, 111. Theological institutions established, 30. Views of Luther and Calvin, how regarded by their followers, 14? - Vocation, 247. Words, how derive their meaning, 121. 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