Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-05-20
The Lutheran Synod on the War.

A Committee of the General Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United
States were introduced, on Tuesday, to the
President by the Secretary of State, and COM
municated the suboined resolutions Of that body
These gentlemen were received with the cordali-
ty characteristic of the Chief Magistrate.
1ho Rev Prof. L. Sternberg, of llartwick
Seminary, New York. the chairman of the com
mittee, in presenting the resolutions addressed
the President as follows:
Mr. President We have the honor as a com
mittee of the General Synod of the Lutheran
Church in the United States, to present to your
Exoelency a copy of the preamble and resolu-
tions in reference to the state Of the country
adopted by that body at its late session in the
city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
We are further charged to assure you that our
fervent prayers shall ascend to the God OF Ma
tons that Divine guidance and support may be
vouchsafed to you in the trying and responsible
position to which benignant Providence has
called you
With your permission the Rev. DR.. Pohlman,
of Albany, New York, will briefly express to you
the sentiments which animated the committee
and the church they represent in view of the
present crisis in our national affairs.
The Rev. DR.. Pohlman, of Albany, New York,
in his speech, alluded to the fact that the late
session of the General Synod of the Lutheran
held since the troubles in our country COM
menced that the General Synod represents
twenty-sx district synods, scattered over the
Middle, Western, and Southern States, from
twenty-one of which, delegates were in atten-
dance that from the States in rebellion no dele
gates were present, except one from Tennessee,
who had, in praying for the President, avoided
arrest only in consequence of the fact that he
conducted divine service in the German language
the yernacular of many in the Lutheran Church.
lie fui ther expressed his deep conviction that we
were greatly indebted for the degree of success
that has crowned the efforts of the Government
in quelling the rebellion, to the prayers of
Christians, and concluded by invoking the Divine
benediction to rest on the President and on our
1 beloved country.
REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT.
Gentlemen: l welcome here the representa-
| tiyes Of the Evangelical Lutheraus Of the Uuited
| States | accept with gratitude their assurances
of the sympathy and support of that enlightened,
influential, and loyal class Of my fellOw-citizens
| in an important crisis, which involves, in my
judgement, not only the civil and religious liber-
ties of our own dear land, but in large degree
the civil and religious liberties Of mankind in
many countries and through many ages. You
well know, gentlemen, and the world knows,
how reluctantly accepted this issue of battle
forced upon me, on my advent to this place, by
the internal enemies of cur country. You all
know, the world knows the forces and the re-
sources the public agents have brought into em-
ployment to sustain a government against which
there has been brought not one complaint OF
real injury committed against society, at home
OF abroad. You all may reoolect that in taking
up the sword thus forced into our hands, this
Government appealed to the prayers of the pious
and the good, and declared that it placed Its
whole dependence upon the favor Of God ] nov
4 ifaN
ate the acknowledgment of that dependence, mol
doubling that if it shall please the Divine Being
who determines the destinies of nations that thi
shall remain a united people, they will, humbly
seeking the Divine guidance, make their pro
longed national existence a source of new bene-
fits to themselves and their successors, and t.
all classes aud conditions Of mankind,
, THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE SYNOD.
WHEREAS our beloved country, after havinl
| long been favored with degree Of political an
religious freedom, security and prosperity, un
/ exampled in the history of the world, now find
/ itself involved in bloody war to suppress d
i armed rebellion against its lawfully constitute
- government and whereas the Word God, whic
Is the sole rule of our faith and practice, require
f loyal subjection to " the powers that be, be
' cause they ure '.ordained Of God" to be ''
terror to evil-doers and praise to those who
Z, well, aud, at the same time, declares that the
= who 'resst the power" shall receive to them
/. selves condemnation and whereas we, the reL
# resentatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Syno
= of the United States, connected with the sever'
q Synods, assembled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
1 recognise ii our duty to give public expresso
II to our convictions of truth on this subject, an
: in every proper way to cooperate with our fe
It low citizens in sustaining the great interests
IF law and authority, of liberty and Righteousness
Be il therefore
e nnN Ia fha al Ia
ID Of this Synod that the rebellion against the Coz
.. stitutonal Government of this land is mo
of wicked in its inception unjustlfabe in its caus
le unnatural in its character, inhuman in its pros
a. cution, oppressive in its aims, and destructi
,e in its results to the highest interests of morai
D. and religion.
nt RssotUed, That in the suppression of this +
IN bellion, and in the maintenance of the Constt
I'd ton and the Union by the sword we reeognl
en- an unavoidable necessity and sacred duty whi
% the Government owes to the nation and q
OF world and that, therefore, we call upon o
v, people to lift up holy hands in prayer to the e.
d. Of battles, without personal wrath against I
n evil-doers on the one hand and without doubt
NO the righteousness of our cause on the other, II
I'M He would give wisdom to the President and
,s, eounseors, and success to the army and na'
in that our beloved land may speedily be deliver
Die from treason aud anarchy.
)ts Resolved, That whilst we regard this unhal
IL war as a righteous judgment of God, visited I
sir on US because of the individual and national
py of which we have been guilty, we neverthel
Sc regard this rebellion as more Immediately
ins natural result of the continuance and spread
ng domestic slavery in our land, and therefore
Id, with unmingled joy tue proposition Of our Cl
+ a Magistrate, which has received the sanction
of Congress, to extend aid from the General
vernment to any State in which slavery ex
ith which shall deem fit to initiate system of G
the stitutonal emancipation.
.c- Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with
ate loyal citizens and Christian patriots in the
the bellous portions of our country, and we cord
nall ly invite their cooperation in offering uni
ire suppioations at Throne Of Grace, that
) of would restore peace to our distracted coun
uld re.estahish fraternal relations between all
1 to States, and make our land, in all time to co
ton the asylum of the oppressed aud the permaI
abode of liberty and religion.
Resolved, That our devout thanks are du
Almighty God for the success which has crow
ard. our arms and whilst we praise and mag
4 in His name for the help and succor He has
lre ciously afforded to our land and naval forces
cate enabling them to overcome our enemies, we
i'm gard these tokens of His Divine favor as ch
,,ho ~, ;ndications of the final triumDh of CO