Spiritual "death and life": Pieper's 1912 sermon to Synodical Conference on fellowship

      Although I have referenced a quote from Dr. Franz Pieper's sermon to the 1912 Synodical Conference convention several times (here, here, and here), it was only the quote itself without the surrounding text. I want to expand this quote by giving the full text that went with this phrase. One may read a good chunk of this text in C. S. Meyer's 1964 CPH Moving Frontiers book p. 289. But I want the full text published, as a greater testimony of just how serious the matter is if one does not follow what is according to God's Word. The German text may be followed starting here in Google Books: 

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To teach other doctrine than Christ's Word is a slap in the face of Christ, who wants to teach and govern the church by His Word alone. To teach other doctrine than Christ's Word is also a blow to the face of Christians, whose Christian dignity and Christian glory consists in the fact that they are not subject to the word of men, but are subject to Christ's Word alone. And finally also: Leading other doctrine than Christ's Word can always only happen to the detriment of souls. 

It is a matter of death and life. 

The word of man, however well-intentioned, can never save a humanity dead in sins. Only God's Word can do that. [The following is not in C. S. Meyer's translation:] All the word of man in the Christian church is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls off, even if people imagine that they could lead the whole world to the light with their "conception" or "further development" or "supplementation" of the Christian doctrine. Only God's Law, provided it is taught without attenuation and human addition, makes man a truly poor sinner. Only God's Gospel, provided it is preached without interference from the works of the Law, produces faith in Christ, gives the highest good here on earth, the assurance of grace and salvation, and gives strength and desire to walk the narrow way to eternal life. Every change of the Gospel by admixture of man's works, whether it is called merit or only right conduct, is poison and death for the spiritual life, puts itself as an obstacle, as a trap, as a nuisance between men and the grace and blessedness acquired for them by Christ. Hence the apostle's zeal in pronouncing a curse on all who teach the Gospel of Christ differently than He taught it, Gal. 1:8.

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In the Meyer English translation, the phrase is "It is a matter of life and death", a version more familiar to American readers. But the German is stated in the reverse order, perhaps adding to its sense of urgency. While the above text speaks of Christ's Word, the sermon topic was on church fellowship and Romans 16:17-18.

      In a synod where a prominent professor ridicules so-called "biblianity" and those who stand by their Bible, there can be no unity. Indeed there is constant danger of spiritual death.