Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-11-16


Lutheran Church has nothing in com
mon with these. neither synodical nor
congregational fellowship, nor q de-
sire for any-they are strangers to
the Lutheran Church and mostly also
to Christ. He then gave, 2d. A brief
sketch of the several different kinds
Of Lutherans not recognized as prop
I eriY entitled to that glorious name
1.-The General Synod Luthcrans," dis
tinguiShed by their laxity in regard
to the doctrinal standards of the
Church, and by their loss of the dis.
tinctive denomiuational character; be-
sides''the Council Lutherans, former
ly connected with the General Syn
od" but separated from them partly OH
technical and partly on confessional
grounds, hut still retaining the old
lcaven OF that body. to some extent,
by reason Of Il certain measure Of in
difference respecting doctrinal mat
ters, but especially in regard to church
practice, while it must be conceded
that they fully recognize the doctrin-
al standards Of our church, they are
somewhat given to the bad habit of
putting 4 loose construction upon
them and evading their legitimate
consequences in matters of church
government and discipline They
have not vet made up their minds to
abandon lheir former unionistic, un-
churchly practices, and while they
are Lutherans in profession they have
retained many IN Lutheran things in
practice. We can not unite with
them, because they are not sufficiently
in earnest to follow their faith to its
legitimate consequences.
3D.. I'VE claim TO he the proper
representatives of true Lutheranism."
Oar Church is properly the Church of
the Reformation, the true Protestant
Church, because the originator and
chief agent of God in that great WORK,
and because of her earnest. fearless
and noble protest against the Papasy
and its denominations. Oar creed is
properly V represented in the Book of
Concord, embracing the Augsburg
confession and its apology, the two
Cltechi5ms OF Luther, tie Smalcald
articles, and the Formula of Concord,
besides the three ancient symbols,the
Apostolic, Nicene and Athanasian
creeds, showing forth our living con-
nection with the ancient Christian
Church. These creeds are further ex-
planned by the writings of Luther and
other prominent theologians Of our
Church, recognized as orthodox rep
resentatives of Lutheranism in its
hest days. We pledge our ministers
to these confessions, and require all
congregations wishing to unite 9Th
us, to recognize these confessional
standards, not in a doubtful, halfway
sense, but in good ,faitt. We have ia
ken an unequivOcal stand on this
ground, over against all other bodies
til It call themselves Lutheraus, and
have declined all overtures to unite
with them. except on the ground of
harmony in con 'ession and practice
my other union would be q mere
temporary arrangement and could not
stand.
Although true union is a noble thing
and heartily desired by us, when Sc
cureG by improper means it is even
worse than useless. Hence, it was
oct OF the question in our case, be
cause of the absence Of true assin-
ilation between ourselves and the 9TH
er bodies, which failed on the one
hand TO recognize our confessional
standards as such, CT, on the other.
stopped at y halfway station Four
points now seperatc us from the
Council Lutherans, to-wit: ''thev de-
sire their pulpits ana alters to be kept
open" not absolutely it is true, but at
the discretion of the pastors respec-
lively; we believe these things to be
too important and sacred to subject
them to the danger Of being tampered
with; they hold loose views RESPECT
ing membership and fellowship with
/ all manner of human fraternitics we
can not consent to occupy neutral
ground with reference to any associa-
tons that are either directly or indi
| rcctiy antagonistic to or competitors
OF the Church they are Indifferent
also as to some doctIiDal matters
tolerating, as they do, the tanatical
doctrine of milienarianism on the part
Of men occupying prominent
| positions among them, and when
earnestly entreated by some of their
district-synods to favor them with a
clear and definite declaration on these
| points, to solve their doubts, they
answer only in glittering and eyasive
| generallios.
We, however, insist upon faithful
adherence to the letter and spirit of
our standards, and upon their proper
application to all the usages and to
the entire practice of the Church.
| On this ground we have taken cur
stand in good faith, and we intend, by
the grace Of God, TO live and die up
on it. Like the heroic Luther say we
all, each for himself and all together;
Here | stand; cannot do otherwise;
80 help me God. Aucnn'
| This service closed with collec-
ton and benediction. Another large
audience collected in the evening 10
attend another service in the German
| language, and on this occasion dis
course was delivered by Pastor W.
Hellc, of Crestline, on Hebrews 10;
81 25, in which he presented the ad-
monitions of the text in an earnest
and edifying manner. After this Prof
L. addressed the congregation once
| more, pointing out the several parts
| Of church edifice, and offering prac
! teal reflections suggested by them =
! A third collection followed, and then
the services of the day were brought
to close.
1t is to be hoped, that this religious
festival was not prolitlcss either to the
congregation Immediately interested
or to the community witnessing it; at
any rate there was fair opportunity