Correspondence Between
J.C.W. Loehe and C.F.W. Walther
About the Fort Wayne Seminary
As Transcribed in James L. Schaaf,
"Wilhelm Loehe's Relations to the American Church:
A Study in the History of Lutheran Mission,"
Heidelberg University, Ph.D. Dissertation, 1961, Appendix VII.
Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores
http://www.projectwittenberg.org/etext/loehe/letter.txt
SYNOD'S LETTER TO PASTOR W. LOEHE IN NEUENDETTELSLAU (sic)
Highly honored and dearly beloved brother in the Lord:
Pastor D. Sihler has requested at this year's first synodical
conference to call Pastor Oster as director and teacher at the
Seminary in Fort Wayne. He based this request on his declining health
and the fact that his own ever-growing congregation is making it
impossible for him to expand the time and energy necessary for the
seminary. We have come to the unanimous conclusion that we do not
have the right to issue a call on behalf of the seminary, because it is a
private institution, founded by the love of the German brothers.
Consequently it was decided to ask you, beloved brother, and
through you also the other participants of this work of love, whether
you are willing to surrender the seminary to the Synod, formally and
actually giving it under the Synod's free disposition, while
nevertheless continuing with support in the forms of money, books,
etc. in the usual loving manner, because the Synod--especially at this
time of its organization--does not have the resources for the
seminary's upkeep.
In addition, it was agreed to ask you in a brotherly manner to
forward to us the writings of Pastor Ostor (sic) thus enabling us to
form our own opinion concerning his attitude, knowledge, spiritual
gifts and qualifications for the proposed position.
With the heartfelt request to include us and our work in your
brotherly supplications, we command you to the Lord's mercy.
Chicago, May 6 in the year of our Lord 1847.
On behalf and in the name of the "German Evangelical--Lutheran
Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States" at their first annual
conference here.
Signed respectfully and most humbly,
C. Ferd. Wilh. Walther, President
__________________________________________________________________
Correspondence Between
J.C.W. Loehe and C.F.W. Walther
About the Fort Wayne Seminary
As Transcribed in James L. Schaaf,
"Wilhelm Loehe's Relations to the American Church:
A Study in the History of Lutheran Mission,"
Heidelberg University, Ph.D. Dissertation, 1961, Appendix VII.
From: K.M., VI (1848), cols. 42-45. See pp. 114 and 119
LOEHE'S LETTER TO SYNOD, ST. LOUIS (sic)
Fr. Wilh. Husmann, Secretary
To the President of the German Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of
Missouri, Ohio and Other States, Pastor Karl Ferdinand Wilhelm
Walther in St. Louis, MO.
Neuendettelslau, Sept. 8, 1847
I have duly received your valued letter dated Chicago, May 6 of
this year, and I forthwith shared its contents with Pastor Wucherer in
Noerdlingen, the only person with whom I needed to discuss this
matter. I needed to discourse with him only because in Bavaria we do
not have a North-American society, rather the entire aid project, as
far as we have handled it, is a private undertaking aided by the
completely voluntary assistance and advise of other brothers.
After having assured myself of my dear friend's opinion of the
matter at hand, I am herewith releasing the seminary, in my name and
in his name--as far as it could be considered thus far to be our
establishment, in its present state--to the Synod, whose president you
are. It shall be the sole property of the Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of
Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, and be entirely under its care and
administration.
Release of the seminary, however, is under the following
conditions which we hope you yourself are in agreement with:
1. We release all our claims of ownership to the seminary in Fort
Wayne with the condition that it shall, for ever, serve only the
Lutheran church and train her preachers and shepherds. As Lutheran
churches we recognize only those who confess the Lutheran Book of
Concord.
2. We are releasing all our claims to the seminary under the
further condition--which shall be inviolate--that the German language
shall be the only vehicle of instruction.
3. We are releasing our claims under the condition that the
seminary remain what it is now, that is, an institution whose purpose
it is to train--thoroughly and when possible without delay--preachers
and ministers for the countless lost, German brothers-in-faith, as
well as for newly arrived congregations of our faith. In the beginning
we did not consider a theological institution in the usual, German
tradition, but rather as a "nursery" of preachers and ministers whose
studies are to be preparation for the holy office itself.
Presuming that these conditions meet with your approval, we
gladly promise to continue support of the seminary, that is, to the best
of our abilities and as God provides us. As the situation presents itself
now, there cannot be any specific promises.
You are already familiar with one of our ideas, and Dr. Sihler,
director of the seminary, has also espoused it as his own. It is this:
the seminary is to be also a place for the training of
missionaries among the heathen natives of North-America. We
must tell you that it would cause us extreme pain if you were to
let go of an idea which--especially in Bavaria--has gained many
mission-minded friends and their support. However, we have no
doubt that you will continue faithfully in this matter also.
We also must inform you that Pastor Oster from Posen has
emigrated with some of his parishioners to Australia. Therefore,
examination of his faith and life on your part, as well as a call, are too
late.
In closing we want to share with you what is making our hearts
heavy, especially since it is of the utmost important to the seminary
in Fort Wayne. With much regret we have noticed that your first
synodical constitution, as is set now, did not completely follow the
example of the first congregations. We fear, and most likely rightly so,
that the basic, strong mixing of democratic, independent,
congregational principles into your church constitution will cause
more harm than the meddling of the princes and authorities did in our
church at home. Careful study of the apostles' many lessons concerning
organizing the church and ministry, would have better and differently
taught the dear brothers from among the laity. Constitution is a
dogmatic, but not a practical adiaphoron. May that which the NT
teaches of constitution, organization and ministry at large, be the
right locus of the new seminary, and may the results of new research
done by Lutheran theologians in the home country not be considered
inferior and be ignored by the professors and teachers at Fort Wayne.
If a large, interconnected church is to be assembled which is to be a
haven for harried souls, care must be taken that she be endowed in
holy form and shape by which she can be recognized and grasped.
Signed with heartfelt, loyal love and esteem your devoted friend
and Brother,
Johann Conrad Wilhelm Loehe
Pastor at Neuendettelslau in Franconia
______________________________________________________________
This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg
by Erika Flores and is in the public domain. You may
freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any
comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther
Library at Concordia Theological Seminary.
E-mail: robert.smith@ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
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