New-York tribune., 1894-06-04

LUTHERAN STANDARDS OF ORTHODOXY.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your interesting and suggestive editorial
OF yesterday on leading questions engaging tHe
attention Of Chrstendom there occur these state
ments:
THE history OF religious thought since the
Reformation has been a continuous record OF
rational victories. The men in all the Churches
who to-day are regarded pillars of orthodoxy
hold views on various points that would have been
regarded as hcretlcal fifty or hundred years ago
VIII you allow to say. as representative
OF the Oldest and by far the largest Protestant
Church-the Evangelical Lutheran-that these
statements are the reverse OF true with respect 10
II? After Luther's death. Meancthon was the great
leader in Professionalism. and his edition OF the
Augsburg Confession. altered to be adapted 10 sup
posed progressive ideas, not only did not suppiah'
the old confession but led to the custom OF SUD
scriblnq to the una:tered Augsburg Confession And
TO show that the faith of the Lutheran Church mas
not wavered In three and half centuries although
theso changes of Melancthon were so slight as
scarcely TO be noticed yet the Lutheran Church IN
every country Of the world to-day sedulonsV re-
ouircs subscription 10 the unaltered Augsburg
Confession OF 1880. AS this confession embraces
twenty-eight articles, touching on all the MAN
points of Christian doctrine, it is evident that the
standards of heresy and orthodoxy are precisely
identical among us with those of the Reformation
era Every ratlonalistic movement has resulted III
defeat and not in victory.
And in America not only is 1t not the case that
men are pillars Of orthodoxy who would nave
been REGARDED as heretical fifty years ago. Du'
hlstory shows Just the reverse. Fifty years ago
rationalism had strong hold upon the Lutheran
Church in America, resulting in the "Deilnlte 9y'
nodical Platform put forth by DR. SchHuc"e''
president of our Theological Seminary, as an at
tempt to correct alleged errors In the AussOurs
Confession. At that time also the hturGies ana
off ffrr nO
abolished by rat0nalistic and so-caed liberal IDEAS
Rut to-day the "Defnite Synodlcal Platform only
survives as a memory Of oblOquy, and an oVerpo"-
ering tide Of confessional and historic Lutherahlsh
has restored the lIturgic treasures OF the Chrc"'
TIE same is true In Germany. where despite IA
tonalIstic professors appointed by the state ortho
doxy Is In growing ascendancy. As Count Bern
starff in his official report TO the Chicago EApoSl
tion said: among the educated classes there Is
less rationallsrn than formerly. Our pastors are III
the great majority ortho!, ~ - .Ao- o,,,-ches
will not assume TO speak for the other churcnes;
But | will make the general remark mat "Rit Il,
Lutheran Church il no less illustrated in the history
of Ch-is,en tom as whole; II SHOWS not III -
lucas It was not the hereto Arus, but the orth0-
loY Athanasius who came out victor az NicoIa
was not the hereto Peagius. but the orthodox
August ne who framed the Churchs doctr.na on
VINO won the great theoogical battle Of the Middle
Ages but the orthodox Saint Bernard; and 50 II
calvin (1ov ever much nay regret his severity)
who prevailed In the Reformation etc. Ana so
far is that inconsiderately asserted adage from
hsinr true THE heretics of yesterday the ortho-
dox leaders Of today" that Origen. and Atha-
/ naslus. and Augustine and Bernard. and Luther.
and Calvin and the great orthodox leaders, not
alone OF yesterday. but Of all time % reappear the
/ whole world would hasten to do them reverence;
! Time has but augmented their authority and
/ strengthened their sceptres over Cnrlstehuomi;
whereas their heretcal opponents. CELSIUS; ana
/ Arius and Pelagus. and Abe lard and Carlstadt
+ and Servetus would be avoided as heresarchs even
d more than when they lived Not a church In the
land would be open TO their teachings +. !.
orthodoxy does not oppose inquiry but what II
demands f. orderly progress. not obstruction, ~ ~
mands that the superstructure or christian tneOlosy
! be reared upon its old unchangtng founuauohs,
/ "resus Christ himself being the chief cornerstons
j. B REMENSNYDER.
! New-York, May p. 1894.