Memories 12: Congregations, congregational schools; C.C. Schmidt, model preacher

      This continues from Part 11 (Table of Contents in Part 1), a series by Prof. Ludwig Fürbringer of his personal memories of the departed Franz Pieper in the 1931 Der Lutheraner magazine. — We learn more of Pieper the pastor in this segment. But the high point in this narrative is how Pieper promoted the "glory of the Christian congregation"... and followed Walther perfectly in doing so.

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(page 313, col. 2)

Memories of Dr. Franz Pieper.

by Ludwig Fürbringer – [5.] (Part 12 of 16)

When I go back to the past in these memories of Dr. Pieper, so his congregational membership also comes to my mind. He had in his many working years in St Louis connection with particularly two congregations:

●  Holy Cross congregation, at first Dr. Stöckhardt and then Pastor C. C. Schmidt and his assistant preacher and successor, Pastor P. König, and

●  Immanuel congregation, whose pastor for many years was Pastor G. Wangerin, followed by Pastor H. H. Hohenstein and Pastor J. Oppliger twelve years ago.

Dr. Pieper was for a long time even vacancy preacher of the congregation of the blessed pastor J. F. Bünger after his death in 1882 [Find-A-Grave]. He then remained their auxiliary preacher and assisted their pastors until recently, especially in the distribution of the Holy Supper. He also remained a communicant member of this congregation and saw their pastors for the care of his soul. Our Seminary was in the parish of the Holy Cross congregation for so many years until moving to our new location. Dr. Pieper, who lived just a few steps away from the Holy Cross church, was with their older pastors Stöckhardt and Schmidt through years of friendship, proximity and (col. 1, page 314) official relations closely connected and, therefore, when not traveling or otherwise used, visited the services there. And every member of the church knew what a diligent worshiper he was. He had his particular place where he could be seen almost by the whole congregation and where he was always such an attentive listener to the sermon. And the scholarly, thorough theologian did not miss the catechism examinations as long as they still existed in the church. In the experienced Dr. Schmidt he had a model preacher and had pronounced this more than once. But if he also heard a less praiseworthy sermon at conferences, synods, or other occasions, I know from more than one case that he also praised such sermons and built on them if only the Gospel was rightly expressed in them. But, of course, he could not suffer

● the mixture of Law and Gospel,

● superficial talking without proper preparation,

●moralizing according to the manner and ways of the sects,

●mere so-called "commonplaces" (commonplaces and platitudes).

As a result of his many years of association with these congregations and his entire public activity, it was quite natural that he also entered into a closer personal relationship with older members of both of these and other congregations. Most of them have preceded him in death:

● Louis Lange sen., the well-known actual founder and editor of the Abendschule,

● Konrad Kellermann, the old hearty “Synodical Builder”,

● E. Junghans, the theologically interested one, (he said to me once on a street corner that in order to get rid of his business worries he read Luther's tremendous interpretation of the book of Genesis and was thoroughly enraptured by it),

● E. F. W. Meier, the well-deserving, longtime synodical treasurer and

● J. F.  Schuricht, his too early deceased, noble-minded successor,

● A. L. Rohlfing, the synodical deputy known in wider circles and others.

And I remember very well how he appreciated their and so many other congregational members’ services in congregation and church, as well as the faithful service of the oldest member of our ministry, extending over thirty-eight years, known to us as A. G. Brauer, as well as the truly great diversity of services offered by our current synodical treasurer E. Seuel, who has also been the prudent leader of our Concordia Publishing House for nearly twenty-five years.

In general, it was part of his theology that he advanced the glory of the Christian congregation into the foreground and loved all of their works, especially compared with the modern associations, and the tendency to allow societies for what is the congregation's role and what should be developed by them.

He was a very special friend of the Christian congregational school. He pronounced this so often in Der Lutheraner and in Lehre und Wehre. But I also remember once as we both were going through our seminary with guests and were asked to explain by these guests, who were from other synods, how it was that our synod could always put so many preachers in the field. Then he went to the open window near the stairs in the old seminary, pointed to the stately school of the Holy Cross congregation, and said briefly, “There lies the explanation”; he wanted to say that it is above all our congregational schools which gave us our preachers and teachers and equipped them for their later profession even in their youth. That's why he once said in a presidential report to the Delegates Synod:

“In more than one account that came to me, it said, ‘In us, the nature of the church is like a garden of God.’ This is especially true of our congregational school system. It is (page 314, col. 2) declining in some places, in other places it increases and is in a flourishing state. Especially in the West and also in some places in the East, the demand for congregational schools has been strong. So, on the one hand, we have a high cause to humble ourselves deeply, on the other, we must praise God's great grace, which still works its wonders on us.

“I can not refrain from acknowledging and praising the fact that no less than 1,082 of our pastors have in addition to the ministry, provided also the education office. What mental and physical effort and self-denial that implies, all who were in the same situation know from experience. ‘This schooling,’ as the blessed Dr. Walther used to say, ‘has no great appearance in the eyes of men, but it particularly reveals the faithful pastor, who does not allow himself to be grieved in accepting the teaching of the youth himself if the congregations are not yet able or willing to call church teachers.’ Especially our younger pastors are generally willing and diligent to keep school. God will reward their diligence and their faithfulness for all eternity. At the same time, the dear congregations are cordially asked that their pastors no longer have to administer the office of the school, as necessarily indispensable as it is. The holding of school in addition to serving the preaching ministry has wiped out some young strength ahead of its time, and the school itself is better looked after by a school teacher who uses his undivided strength for the school.” (Report of the 11th Delegates Synod, 1905, pages 22-23).

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      Old Missouri's high regard for the congregation is so foreign to today's external churches.  And the emphasis on congregational schools has been covered in previous blog posts here, and here.

      Pastor C. C. Schmidt is mentioned in the above narrative twice.  He was a prominent preacher in the Old Missouri Synod, serving in various offices.  He also defended the Christian doctrine of Predestination (Gnadenwahl, Election of Grace) during the critical Pastoral Conference in 1881 – see 2018 CPH book Predestination, p. 171, 176. English speaking Lutherans may read from the few English language articles in Theological Monthly here. Of course German speaking people can search "C. Schmidt" in the Der Lutheraner Table of Contents PDF. Someday I may translate his sermon here. Although he is characterized as a "model preacher" above, church historian J.P. Koehler (History of the Wisconsin Synod, p. 252) characterized him as "out of touch with actual life".  Such were the caustic comments from Koehler on a true Missourian model preacher. Fortunately Koehler's "history" was not held by all in the Wisconsin Synod. —  In the next Part 13...