Sieker's NYC sermon at Walther's passing (Part 2)

      This concludes from Part 1 on one of the great sermons delivered at the passing of C. F. W. Walther in 1887.  — As I procured Pastor Sieker's original sermon in the German language and had it translated, I understood why Prof. Pieper highlighted it as a model sermon.  And it continues to amaze me that this sermon was delivered in the East, in New York City.  Whatever strength there may remain for Lutheranism in that city must certainly be traced back to the influence of Pastor Sieker's sermons at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church.  Before I present the full sermon, I would highlight a few passages not covered in Pieper's review:

Pg 4: "…is anyone else besides him who has had such a profound effect, such a beneficial change, such a great building influence on the church as he … You will find none."

Pg. 6: "Who could deny that also Dr. Walther, in this last afflicted time, was such a gift of God, through which the faithful Lord intended and bestowed incalculable blessings on his church?"

6: "In this time of the greatest danger for our church falls the beginning of Walther's work"

7: "Walther wanted to become a doctor. God, however, had seen him to something greater"

7: "Walther, too, lay deathly ill at the beginning of his work in St. Louis … only one thing he asked of God, to let him experience the appearance of the first number of the Der Lutheraner."

8: "we must look upon them [Luther, Walther] with deep gratitude – but this only for the purpose that God may be honored in fine gifts."

9: "We do not follow him and believe him because he taught it, but because we have recognized through his ministry that he taught God's truth to us."

11: "Now, in our church in America, no one dares to openly state that the pastor and the Synod are God-created powers to which the congregations simply have to submit."

Note: The seven footnotes contain helpful information about the Old Missouri Synod. — Translation by BTL using DeepL Translator:

Sieker recommended in footnote #4 the reading of Hochstetter's History of the Missouri Synod, and his praise of Walther echoes that of Hochstetter who said 

"…Walther does not make the spirits subject to himself but to the Word of God."

May New York City Lutherans today benefit from this timeless sermon of its pastor 134 years ago.