Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-29
THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION.

An Anniversary Sermon Preached by Rev.
Edmund Belfour Yesterday Morning.
In the First English Lutheran church, on
Grant street, the pastor, Rev. Edmund Bel
four, D. D., preached at the morning service
a sermon in honor of the three hundred and
sixty-frSt anniversary of the Augsburg Con-
fession. This great confession of Protest
antism was presented at the Imperial Diet at
Augsburg June %, 1880. The speaker said
that man needs revelation from God to
guide him in his faith and conduct, as all
history shows. And in view OF Gods wis
dom and justice it might be fairly assumed
that he would grant what was thus
tell men what they should believe and how
they should live. Such revelation we have
in the Holy Scriptures But the right under
standing of this revelation is of the highest
Importance. Men are found everywhere
who hold views radically different concern
ing the doctrines taught in the Bible. Hence
arises the necessity tor proper statements
and definitions of the faith of the church.
All claim the Bible as authority for their
faith, and yet they differ in that faith. This
has necessitated what are called creeds.
Much is said that is very absurd against
creeds What is a creed? It is a formal
statement of our belief, whether written or
not. The reviler of the creeds of the Chris
tian Church has creed of his own-hls be-
lief, whatever that may be.
The spread of error has called forth the
creeds. The ancient Hebrews had their ID
Articles of Faith and their 6lS precepts of
the law of Moses. In the early Christian
Church the spread of error called forth the
three general creeds the Apostles the
Nicene, and the Athanasian. The circum-
stances which called forth the great Refor-
nation under Luther and the awakened in
terest in divine truth demanded full state
ment of the doctrines which the ReformerS
taught and the errors which they con-
demned. At the, great Imperial Diet
at Augsburg such confession was
presented under the most imposing
and thrilling circumstances. Its con-
tents are of the most thoroughly
Scriptural and conservative characteristics.
This confession antedates all other distinc-
tive confessions. 1t was given to the world
June 25, 1880, 30 years before the canons and
DEGREES of the Council of Trent, the creed of
the Roman Catholic Church; SO years before
the 80 Articles of the Church of England,
which are largely copied from it; SO years
before the canons of the Synod of bort, the
III years before the Westminster Confession.
This confession is more firmly held
especially in this country-than ever before.
1t is the accepted standard of the Lutheran
Church, and there is neither talk nor thought
of change or revision. As it contains the
essence of Gods Word, it is as free and
powerful now as in 1880 And precisely now,
when 1t is studied SO carefully and main
tanned with such iT tense enthusiasm, our
church is more prosperous than ever before
in this country. There is higher
spiritual life among our people and greater
zeal in missionary, charitable and educa-
ing in q greater ratio than that of any other
Protestant body in this country, having
doubled it in the last 10 years, numbering at
present about 100000 communicate meUi-
bers, S, l53 congregations, and 500 ministers.
And we firmly believe that it has been
chosen as mighty barrier against the doubt
and ratl0naliSm now so common and so ruin
GUS in many other churches in America.