Walther on Mohammedans (and Luther's hymn); the Eastern antichrist

      In the year before Walther's passing, or “home going”, he still was producing words of instruction, comfort and admonition to his Synod via the well-read Der Lutheraner paper.  His comments are as fresh today as when he wrote them. — In 1886 he reported on the religious situation in Turkey, a Muslim (Mohammedan, Turk, Islam) controlled country.  The following is from Der Lutheraner vol. 42, p. 149:

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Distress of conscience in Turkey. The Allgemeine Kirchenzeitung of August 20 reports: In Turkey recently the Mohammedans have been denied the right to become Christians; those who have converted to Christianity have been persecuted and punished, or have been deprived of the right to erect buildings of worship, to hold public services, and to have their children educated. It is true that the four and a half centuries of unceasing prayer of the Orthodox Church against the Turks have provided so much that the Turk has little power left, indeed, he is already almost dying; but the spirit of the Eastern antichrist [Mohammed] is still stirring; hence the precious hymn: “Keep us, Lord, by Thy Word, and restrain the murderous Pope and Turk,” even now must not be silent in the Orthodox Church. W. [Walther]

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     Why has the power of the Muslims increased so much today?  Because Lutherans quit singing and praying the words of Luther's hymn!  Walther gives the exact response to the question of “What would Luther say?”: He would say and sing exactly what he did in his time… “Restrain the murderous Pope and Turk”! (But not the LC-MS.)