Luther's Chronology of the World, Part 4 (Luther's Preface text)

In the previous Part 3, (Table of Contents in Part 1 here) I presented the original version of Luther's Chronikon or Biblical Chronology, including a download link for a PDF copy of the entire publication.

Part 4 in this series is the text of both prefaces, Pastor Kenneth K. Miller's preface and Martin Luther's Preface:

(Preface of Pastor Kenneth K. Miller)

Page 2

Luther had earlier, in 1525, completed a chronological table of the Medo-Persian kings, to be used for the exposition of the Minor Prophets.  He authorized its printing, probably for his audience.  He himself tells us so in the preface to his exposition of the prophet Haggai, according to both the Altenburg and the Zwickau texts.  Even in the commentary on Zechariah the same table appears in the manuscript.  It ought not be altered with our present text, which was first completed in 1540 and set to print in 1541.  Luther afterwards revised it considerably and re-published it in 1545.

Luther originally prepared this Chronology for his own use, and did not consider publishing it, but his friends, who had been permitted to see it in preparation, urged him to publish it.  On March 3, 1541, Dr. Justus Jonas had it copied out "by a Master who understands it," and he sent the copy to Prince Joachim of Anhalt.

The original was in the library at Dresden.  It was probably destroyed in the fire-storm due to Allied bombing in 1943. The Latin title reads: Supputatio annorum mundi D. M. Lutheri.

In the collected German editions the chronology is continued to the year 1559 and a preface of Aurifaber is affixed.  The German translation in the St. Louis edition, the basis of this English translation, was newly prepared from the Wittenberg edition, of which the Jena is simply a reproduction.

Preface of Dr. Martin Luther

I had prepared this reckoning of years for my own use alone, not that it should be a chronicle or history book, but so I might have it before my eyes as something of a time chart to see at a glance the times and years of the history that is narrated in the Bible, so I might remind myself how many years the Patriarchs, Judges, kings, and princes lived or reigned, or in how much of a time span they followed upon one another. Hence there is no reason for me to use many words either to commend or to disparage it.  I was not even thinking what use or how useful it might be to others, since so many chronologies or histories are already extant, with more every day.  I am satisfied with the use I have already made of it.  Those who wanted to see it published when I gave them an opportunity, upon their request, to look at it; or those who are going to read it, may decide for themselves whether it is worth their effort to read it.  It makes no difference to me whether it perishes or abides‚ but it also does not bother me very much whether it satisfies other people or not.

I grant that the Chronicon of Charion and Philip ⁽¹⁾ is the first and is a very good example of reckoning, in which the whole course of the years is very beautifully divided into six millennia, which I also followed. I have presumed to do one thing in the history of Jehoram, the king of Judah under Elijah and Elishah: I counted twenty more years than all other chronologists. This is my own fault or my own achievement, for which I shall have to give account in due time. For the chronology of Eusebius, which was drawn from the Septuagint, constantly translated "two hundred" instead a of "one hundred" in Genesis 5.  Perhaps that is because it read the singular meath instead of the plural meoth.  Jerome lists that chapter among his "Hebraic questions."  That chronology is responsible for the same error in all the chronologies prior to our time, all of which have 1249 years too many in that chapter. Indeed, they have gone beyond

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⁽¹⁾ In the year 1532 the mathematician Carion issued a chronology on which Melanchthon had collaborated.

Page 3

the sixth millennium, which they call the sixth aeon, and reckon the years in question in the seventh millennium, their "seventh aeon."⁽²⁾ Still, there is little reason to find fault with Eusebius. Indeed, as Jerome writes, he was an amazing and very precise man.  We complain about all other historians, and they complain among themselves that they have not a clue to the precise reckoning of the years.  So I have set them all aside, and in this work I have tried to derive this chronology chiefly out of Holy Writ, upon which we can and should rest.  The Bible has the following information:

 Sections for the Calculation of Years

from the creation of the world to:

1656	Creation to the Flood	Genesis 5
367	to the call of Abraham	Genesis 11, 12
430	to the Exodus from Egypt	Exodus 12, Galations 3
480	to Solomon's Temple	1 Kings 6
158	to the end of Solomon's dynasty	2 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 23
291	to exile of Jehoiachin	2 Kings 24 to end
11	reign of Zedekiah	2 Kings 24
70	length of the Exile	2 Chronicles 36, Ezra 1
46	to beginning of weeks, 2nd years of Darius	John 2:20
483	years or 69 weeks to death and
	resurrection of Christ	Daniel 9
7	years of the last week in which the
	covenant is confirmed and a law done	Daniel 9
	away in the midst of the week

The following chronology of Christ is self-explanatory.

Others portray it this way:

1656	to the Flood	Genesis 5
292	to the birth of Abraham	Genesis 11
425	to the birth of Moses
80	to the Exodus from Egypt
480	to the Temple of Solomon
158	to King Joash and the end of Solomon's dynasty
291	to the captivity of Zedekiah
11	of Zedekiah to the destruction of Jerusalem
70	years of desolation
46	to the 2nd year of Darius, beginning of weeks
483	years or 69 weeks to death of Christ
7	years of the final week

I have no doubts whatever over any of the parts of the calculation.  Hence the sum need not be questioned, except for one item: from the end of the solation to the beginning of weeks, or from Cyrus to the second year of Darius.  I want to say a little about that, because it bothers me.

--------------------------------

⁽²⁾ Luther accepted in 1540, that this was the year 5500 of the world, while they took it as year 6749.

Page 4

In John 2:20 the Jews said to Jesus, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?  It is clear from this that more than forty-six years passed between the first year of Darius and Cyrus and the completion of the Temple, for it is also clear from Ezra 6:15 that the Temple was completed, not in the second year of Darius or the forty-sixth since Cyrus, since the word of God went forth through Haggai and Zechariah at the beginning of weeks, but in the sixth year of Darius. So four additional years are to be added to the aforementioned forty-six, and it is a full fifty years from Cyrus to the completion of the Temple.  Only this circumstance gives rise to a question about the four years; otherwise everything is certain arid sure. This question arises from the uncertainty about the years of the Persian kings.  For the historians differ, not only on the years of Cyrus, but also about those of Darius and others. ⁽³⁾

Perhaps I am being foolish, but I am submitting my thoughts about those four years for publication. If anyone will or can, let him put forth a better proposal and decision.  In Daniel 5 and 6, Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian each seem to rule alone, for it says that Darius the Mede succeeded Belshazzar in dominion over the Chaldeans, and Cyrus is not mentioned. (Dan. 5:31)  Likewise, it says in Dan 6:28, that Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. It is not as though it were untrue that Cyrus and Darius reigned jointly, a custom common in the Bible, where we read that sons reigned together with their fathers; nevertheless, we must distinguish between the co-regency of Cyrus and Darius and the sole rule of Cyrus.  I say that on this account, that it seems necessary to me on this passage to understand the first year of Cyrus (2 Chron 36:22; Ezra 1:1) as the first year Cyrus reigned alone, after Darius. So two years are deleted from these four extra years, and there remain only two years to explain away, which I do as follows:

Since in great realms and dominions, especially when they are new, plans proceed very slowly and with great hindrance before they reach completion. So it could well have been the case that the command of Cyrus was issued very near the end of the first year; hence one year could be deleted. And then it seems necessary to add at least another year for the Jews to make their preparations after receiving the order for travelling back to Jerusalem; hence one could say that they did very well if they managed to begin building by the end of the second or beginning of the third year of Cyrus. So the remaining two years melt away, and the text of John 2:20 is correct when it says the temple was built in forty-six years. I know, of course, that there are problems with this that I could well raise myself, but that does not bother me much.

Of course, it could be, if you will, that these two years of Darius the Mede can be included in the seventy years of desolation, but I prefer to reckon them as coming after them. For after Belshazzar died and his kingdom passed to Darius the Mede, the Jews were for all practical purposes liberated, and the prophecies of Jeremiah were fulfilled. So in these two years efforts were made and arrangements made for the Jewish people, already liberated, to return to their homeland, which Daniel and his friends were busy doing.

If this does not please someone, he is welcome to do better or to define the matter more precisely. I must say that it is not all that important, as long as the chronology as a whole is fixed, and doubt remains only about two or four years. For if everything works out right to the end of the world except for two or four years, faith and the Church are in no danger; we can in good conscience overlook a mere four years in so large a matter such as the entire course of the world.

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⁽³⁾ Luther's entire approach to these forty-six years differs from modern interpreters, who view them as the time of the improvement and enlargement of the Temple by Herod, which was not entirely completed at the times the Jews spoke these words. For more on Luther's approach, see his commentary on John 2:20.

Page 5

But I do want to remind anyone who will listen that I am firmly and unshakeably convinced that the beginning of the weeks is to be placed nowhere else than in the second year of Darius Longimanus, and you can be sure that if you want to argue with me about it, you will be wasting your breath.

Indeed, as I said, I made this reckoning just for myself, and I am quite prepared to cheerfully let someone else do it for himself or for others I base mine solely on the Bible. Therefore I find it necessary, reluctantly, to reject Philo who in another place inserts eighteen years too many in the middle of the weeks of Daniel.  I also do not care very much where Alexander, Antiochus Epiphanes, the Maccabees and others are placed where I place them, nor does it matter much to me whether I have them in the right place or not, as long as the years of the weeks meanwhile remain unassailable and certain in their course.

I also find it necessary to depart from Metasthenes over twelve years, for if his reckoning and the chronology of the Assyrian kings stands, then it would necessarily follow that Sennacharib came against Jerusalem in the second year of Hezekiah, which is impossible.  For in the sixth year of Hezekiah, Shalmanezer carried away all Israel to Assyria, 2 Kings 17, and only in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah did Sennacherib come against Jerusalem, 2 Kings 18.  This matter convinced me that I should not completely disdain the historians; but I should give preference to Holy Writ.  I use them in such a way that I am not compelled to contradict the Bible, for I believe that the truthful God speaks in the Bible, but in the histories good people, according to their ability, show their diligence and their honesty (but as men)‚ or at least, that the copyists could have made mistakes.

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This series will be continued in the next blog post Part 5 where I will present some comments.

Luther's Chronology of the World, Part 3 (original German)

In the previous post Part 2, (Table of Contents in Part 1 here) I presented the English translation download for Luther's Chronikon or Chronology of the World.

In this Part 3, I present the original German version, not that hardly anyone can understand it, but to use it as a reference... and maybe gain a little familiarity with the language and original publishings of Luther and the old German Missouri Synod.

Here is an image of the initial page – click on it to enlarge it:

The download for the PDF of the original St. Louis Edition version (over 100 pages) of Luther's Chronikon is here (about 5 MB - allow time to download).

Added November 1, 2012: Here is complete Weimar Ausgabe Latin version (9 MB PDF!), obtained from here and here, entitled Supputatio annorum mundi.

In the next Part 4, I will provide the text of the English translation of Luther's preface to his Chronikon.

Luther's Chronology of the World, Part 2 (English translation)

In an earlier post Part 1 (from March 2012, see Table of Contents), I introduced the work of Luther called Chronology of the World, or Luther's Chronology or Calculation of the Years of the World; in German it's Luthers Chronikon oder Berechnung der Jahre der Welt.  This work was published in volume 14 (columns 484 - 723) of the St. Louis Edition of Luther's Works, and Franz Pieper hailed it as a wonderful work that was

"...particularly important, because Luther here clearly provides the authority of Scripture over all human research and science."

Luther and Pieper say we should believe the Bible, even where it is contradicted by "human research and science".  Everybody knows that the Bible is constantly contradicted in its details in today's modern world, not only by "technical science", but also by archaeologists who may think they have found physical evidences that contradict the Biblical account.

This work of Luther was not included in the original English translations of the American Edition of Luther's Works, nor is it planned to be in the "New Series" of the same name that is in the process of being published now by Concordia Publishing House.  None of the "endorsements" for the "New Series" (Harvard! Boston! Nebraska! Princeton! Notre Dame! Marquette!) lament the fact that Luther's Chronikon is not included.  One wonders why this work is not included... could it be because they don't have space for it, or could it be that they don't believe the Biblical account is true in all its details, including the years of the world... and so it would be too embarrassing before the world?  Could it be that they believe "human research and science" over the Bible?

Could it be they might believe whatever NASA finds in its "research" regarding the origins of the universe?  We are all waiting breathlessly for the great finding on Mars now.  Maybe modern science will put the findings of the "God particle" to good use and have it tell us from whence it came?  Maybe nanotechnology will help us in this quest?  Maybe our universe isn't just millions or billions of years old, but a googol years old?

But there was a Lutheran pastor who has translated this work of Luther, not as "interesting stuff", but because the Biblical account is true.  Yes, the Bible is true...  our universe is only a few thousand years old.  The Lutheran pastor was Pastor Kenneth K. Miller of the Lutheran Churches of the Reformation or LCR.  I received a copy of this translation from a Lutheran pastor in Australia some years ago and am publishing this paper now on my blog.  Pastor Miller has since passed on and I want to honor his memory with this important translation work.  The scanned copy is a bit rough in some areas for several reasons:

1. The Australian copies were done on their A4 (Metric?) size paper which is narrower and longer than American standard 8-1/2" x 11" size of Miller's original paper, hence some pages are a bit skewed.
2. Evidently the originals had been 3-hole punched, so a few pages show text cut off by the punched holes.
3. Some pages are missing — I don't know why yet.  It could be that the missing pages were blank (without any events) in the original St. Louis Edition and therefore extraneous.

Dr. Martin Luther's Chronology
Tr. by Kenneth K. Miller

Download scan in PDF format (~ 1.5 MB) as of September 6, 2012:

Dr. Martin Luther's Chronology

Translated by Kenneth K. Miller

Pastor

A slightly higher resolution version, about 4 MB, is here.

Because of the great amount of information in this work of Luther, I will present further explanations as I can and provide clear links between various posts on this subject.  In the next Part 3, I provide a download of the original version from the St. Louis Edition.
[Added image Dec. 21, 2014]
In the next Part 3...

Another, a different, Lutheran pastor...

After my previous post, I received further private correspondence from the ELCA Lutheran pastor, correspondence  which would attempt to put me (and Luther, and God) in the defendant's dock at Nuremberg... charges which have already been largely addressed in my previous blog posts.  He has the whole world behind him now... but I do thank him in this regard, that I will address his condemnations of Luther even more than I did in my my blog post of August 13, 2011.

But I also received a comment to my blog post regarding the account of the Good Samaritan, this time from a different Lutheran pastor.  How refreshing this was to me... how his sermon, based on the same Bible text, caused tears of joy, that God had refreshed me as He told me through this Lutheran pastor that Jesus is the Good Samaritan.  Does this Lutheran pastor know that God indeed had sent him to comfort me?

"Came across your blog... interesting stuff", a criticism

     I received a private message from a correspondent a couple of days ago:

"Just came across your blog, lots of interesting stuff."

Hmmm... another spam comment...  I'll just mark him as "spam" and be rid of him..... oh, wait, he goes on and says:

"I liked the material on Old Missouri and geocentrism."

Oh, this is definitely not a spam message...  I wonder who this is, he mentions "Old Missouri" and "geocentrism".  Could it be a Lutheran who is perhaps strengthened by the pure Christian teaching of Luther, Walther and/or Pieper?  Could it be?  He goes on:

"I enclose an English translation of a piece by Lindemann against modern astronomy.  My German isn't great, but I had a member of the congregation translate it for me."

OK, sir.  You have an interest in the topic of "geocentrism".  I also do and the article you sent me is an English translation of J.C.W. Lindemann's booklet that C.F.W. Walther commented on.  Actually, I'm not so interested in Lindemann's booklet, but what Walther's comments were.  Why?  Because I am absolutely certain that what Walther says is truly Christian.  Lindemann, although he upholds the Biblical teaching of geocentrism, may be weak on the true Gospel.  It was Walther who kept his brothers, including Lindemann, strong in the true Christian faith because he taught the pure Doctrine of Justification.

     But then the correspondent said this:

"Only one criticism.  It is unworthy of a Christian to post under a pseudo-name.  Always be brave enough to use your own name."

Ouch!  This statement touched me...  I'm not proud of using a pseudo-name instead of my real name.  Amazon praises its reviewers when it puts "Real Name" next to a reviewer's name.

     Then the correspondent identified himself – he is a pastor of a Lutheran congregation and he identified the name and city of his congregation.  However, he did not identify what synod he was from ...  hmmm, a bit odd to me, since he just told me I should be brave and identify myself.

     So in today's world of instantaneous, ubiquitous knowledge, I searched the Internet for his congregation and, Oh! ... my correspondent is a member of the ELCA, or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.  What?  He says my blog has "interesting stuff", but did he read Pieper's comment on the forebearer of his ELCA synod, the Ohio Synod, which taught that the old Missouri Synod taught heresy?  Did he read in my Timeline of the Downfall of the LC-MS how a member of the ALC committee (Buehring) on June 26, 1946 complained of the LC-MS forcing the Brief Statement on ALC men, like a "potato stomper"?

     Does my correspondent not see that my blog is not about "interesting stuff" but rather about spiritual life and death?  Does the correspondent not see what Pieper saw when he said that the forebearers of ELCA, the Ohio/Iowa/ALC synods, were "reaching for our souls" during discussions on fellowship?

- - - - - - - - - - - 

     You just called me a Christian... but what Christian?  Pieper said the following when writing of Walther's teaching on the Doctrine of Justification:

"All praise of Christ, of grace, and of the means of grace, without the right doctrine of justification, is nothing."

Nothing.  Nothing?? What Doctrine of Justification?  Universal, Objective Justification (the Gospel). 

Dear ELCA pastor ==>> Do you preach this Gospel, that even before the hearers believe, there is salvation, that they are already justified, God is already reconciled to them,... even before they believe?  As Walther says:

"Yes, there are not a few Lutherans who think that doctrine should be treated very lightly lest the hearers become too secure."

- - - - - - - -

     He called me a Christian.  He would probably call Martin Luther a Christian, but why?  His synod and the LC-MS condemn Luther, yet they probably make at least some use of Luther's Small Catechism in some instructional classes for its youth.  What are your youth supposed to think:  "You teachers condemn Luther, and yet you want us to learn from him spiritually?"

- - - - - - - -

     And so, dear ELCA pastor, to you I'm just pseudo-name BackToLuther... from the old (German) Missouri Synod.  I cannot accept your admonishment because I have to question your motive.  If I am to be admonished by someone, it will be especially by a Lutheran pastor or teacher who admonishes me from an unquestionable motive, who teaches the true Gospel as Walther and Pieper taught, and that Jesus commands his followers:

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 10:32 

     No, this blog is not for those who would collect old writings as "interesting stuff", but rather for the sake of their soul.  I have over 30 feet of book shelf space of old Lutheran writings, over 40 megabytes of scanned, OCR'd and translated materials from old (and not so old) Lutheran material.  I had accumulated perhaps the greatest library of true Lutheranism in the world – in my basement.  And then it finally hit me... I don't have to do this anymore.  I have the truth of Christianity in my lap... it is enough.  I have Pieper's Christian Dogmatics, and Walther's Proper Distinction of Law and Gospel, and most of Luther's writings.

     Who will speak for Christianity, not just Lutheranism, today? 

·        Franz Pieper, the 20th Century Luther. 

·        C.F.W. Walther, the American Luther. 

·        Martin Chemnitz, the Second Martin. 

And...

Martin Luther,

the one whom nearly all "Lutherans" in the world today, including your ELCA, condemn.

Who Am I? To you, dear ELCA pastor, I'm just BackToLuther.

Movies... and the Bible? (and Jews)

     Our modern world is so steeped in the works of the motion picture industry – it is now about a hundred years since Hollywood began its march into our hearts and our minds.  There is hardly anyone around who can remember when there weren't movies.  But even unbelievers recognize the detrimental effects of Hollywood but do not dare to censure it.
     Franz Pieper knew the detrimental effects of the film industry in June of 1921 when he wrote about it.  But the following comments that he made weren't just about the general film industry, but about films about the Bible.  Surely he wouldn't criticize films made about the Bible... would he?  Here is what he said in Lehre und Wehre, volume 67, page 192:

Just like here in the United States.   A consistently "liberal" theologian [Gottfried Traub- translate this page] complained in the "Iron Sheet" [Eiserne Blätter] (volume 2, pg. 352) the lack of Biblical knowledge in Germany.  At the same time, he describes the attempt to acquaint people with the Bible through the "cinema" (motion picture theater).  He says:

"The people who were at home in the Bible, were more straightforward, pithy, healthier and active than our distracted generation today.  They knew far more than us, even if occasionally not all knew what we consider worth knowing today.  Above all they were deeply rooted and breathed in the strong, pure air of the Bible which can be the for the plant biting like the East and mild like the spring flower.  What are all stock market losses against this lack in character!  A Goethe bent [?] before the Bible.  Today there are Goethe enthusiasts who make a stupid face when they recall him.  But nowadays we have a substitute. Be glad, German people!  Your Bible is 'filmed'!  One sends a caravan of traveling city folk for good daily wages in Egypt and Palestine, and locates there on the site and spot of the 'Bible'.  Then afterward they can marvel at the girl in the cinema between the 'love frenzy' or the best detective story.  Have we become so insensitive that we all can be taken in?  These people are much too shrewd calculators that they would do something for which they know that nobody wants to see.  Unfortunately, they know the masses too well – they will flock to them.  It is a pleasant tickling to be pious in the movies between all the others for an hour.  If the German people are still Christians [?], they do not allow that Christ is made junk for themselves.  Or should he be crucified once again by the same people who led him mocking and jeering to Golgatha?"

If it is also a fact what has been reported occasionally, that even in the United States the owners of the movie theaters are in the majority Reform Jews, so it stands but firmly the other fact that our American sect churches largely rave for films as an excellent means to disseminate knowledge of the Bible.  We have been repeatedly approached by sect pastors for advice on which biblical events are best suitable for the "cinema".    F. P.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

     When I first began translating this article, I figured that the "liberal" German theologian (Goethe was not a Christian) would praise the movie industry for doing "Bible" cinema.  But wow!... was I surprised because even he, a "liberal" theologian could see through the movie industry.  And what did this German theologian say?

Or should he [Christ] be crucified once again by the same people [the Jews!] who led him mocking and jeering to Golgatha?

     What about the films "The Ten Commandments" and "The Bible" and others?  When the Lord brought me back to the true faith, I wanted to watch these films again ... to, you know, strengthen my faith in the Bible.  And even though there are portions of these films that have correct depictions of certain Bible events, yet even they betray a lack of spiritual understanding of the Bible's message.  For example in the movie "The Bible", George C. Scott depicts Abraham as railing against God when God told him to offer his son Isaac for a burnt offering in Genesis 22:1-18.  The Bible records nothing like what the movie portrays.

In our modern world, truly "anything goes"... Cole Porter did not say it any better:

The world has gone mad today
And good's bad today,
And black's white today,
And day's night today,...

than Martin Luther in paragraph 26 here:

they [the Jews] must believe their rabbis,
even if they said in the same matter that
the right hand would be the left and the
left would be the right one

Not only the movie industry but also television is basically controlled by unbelievers, especially Jews.  Turn on your TV set, let alone go to the movies.  There is virtually nothing that does not cause you to question the Christian faith, the Bible.  And who are these people that largely control what we see and hear and read?  They will tell you who they are.  Joel Stein, a Jew, said it best in the LA Times here:

Jews totally run Hollywood.... But I don't care if Americans think we're running the news media, Hollywood, Wall Street or the government.  I just care that we get to keep running them.

They are openly proud of it!  There is one institution that Mr. Stein didn't mention – universities.  But Pieper wasn't fooled by them, nor was he fooled by preachers who claim we need their motion picture shows for our faith.

• Henry Ford capitulated to the Jews.
• Today's LC-MS has capitulated to the Jews.
• Not so the old (German) Missouri Synod!  Franz Pieper continually guided it until the day he died in 1931... by following Luther – they believed God at His Word.

Let the LC-MS make their motion pictures of C.F.W. Walther's life!  I will be content with holding to his doctrine, and so I will keep on reading and publishing him.  Thank God for Google Translate.

Student secret societies (and Freemasons)

     Franz Pieper watched like a hawk (or shall I say like an eagle) over the education institutions of the old (German) Missouri Synod.  He knew of all the forces bombarding true Christian education.  So in December 1922 he reported in the pages of Lehre und Wehre (Doctrine and Defense) an event that pointed out these forces and how they should be combated.  The article is from volume 68, pages 381-382:

Student societies in higher education.  "The Supreme Court of the State of Missouri has made the decision in the appeal brought by Waldemar R. Wright against the St. Louis City Department of Education that students who belong to student societies therefore in no way may be disciplined.  The son of the plaintiff, Roy Thomas Wright, a graduate of the Soldan High School, was a member of Delta Sigma society.  In December 1920, the school board decided to ban student participation in such societies because studies are thereby neglected and the moral attitude of the students would be affected.  Circuit Judge Killoren had decided that the educational authority had the right to make such a regulation, and Wright had appealed for the sake of his son to the High Court. This Court has now overturned the decision of the district court and declared with a 6-1 vote that the students cannot be forbade to belong as members to such societies."  This decision is not strange considering that student societies are not more harmful for schools than sworn secret societies like the Freemasons for the State.   F.P.

Pieper's sarcasm!  Freemasons and all secret societies are not only enemies of Christianity, but also enemies of the State.  So also fraternities, sororities and all student societies which are patterned after Freemasonry and are enemies of true education and its institutions.  Even unbelievers know of the shady background of secret societies.
     You Missouri, your Supreme Court had sympathizers for the secret societies among its members.  It is not unlikely that you still do since Freemasonry and other secret societies (F.O.P., etc) are so entrenched in government and police offices. They are in Indiana.  I wonder who was that 1 dissenting vote in 1920...  You should now honor Circuit Judge Killoren for his wise judgment.
     And you, Valparaiso University, who calls itself "Lutheran" and "Christian", you and your Greek life!  I know of how your Greek life has caused untold misery!

The cart and the horse... or the horse and the cart

There is a saying, a proverb, an idiom that says don't "put the cart before the horse", or as it is explained don't get things in the wrong order.  The horse pulls the cart... everybody knows the cart can't pull the horse.  It is the horse that has the horsepower to pull.  A cart is ... just a cart and has no power of its own.

I have used this picture in explaining the doctrines of Law and Gospel.

The world has it thus:

Do good works (the Law), then you'll get to heaven.

The Bible says this:

Believe the Good News (the Gospel), and you'll go to heaven.

Pretty simple, isn't it?  

Ah, but you and I are still in this world and even our own flesh screams within... 

Do Good Works!... (see God? ... see what I'm doing?)

The world steps in and confirms your inner being and says, Yes!  Do Good Works! now you're on the right track!

Now to add insult to injury, the Devil is not so crass, but is quite sly, for he will put on a religious mask and say:

Even the Bible says 'Good works are necessary' (Matthew 5:16)

What the Devil is implying is this: 

"Good works are necessary for salvation" 

and not only that, but this:

"Good works are necessary to retain salvation"

Ah, dear Devil, you are still the Devil for the Bible says neither of these 2 things.  Our Lutheran Confessions, and especially the Formula of Concord have struck you down.  Now go to your corner, you Devil!  The world may call everything but you as evil, but Christians know who you are for you want us to 

Put the cart before the horse! and think thus: 

• Good works are necessary for salvation, 
• Good works are necessary to retain salvation!

But the Bible only keeps the horse in front of the cart, keeps the Law in its place (Shows Our Sin), and keeps the Devil in his place by saying:

Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved

You want more evidence from the Bible?... that the Bible only keeps the horse before the cart?  Then read the account of the woman "taken in adultery", John 8:3-11.  The Pharisees and scribes called Jesus "Master", but what did the woman call Jesus?  Later, Jesus told her:

Go, and sin no more

Didn't Jesus put the cart before the horse?  But read what the woman called Jesus at the beginning of verse 11... it wasn't "Master" but:

Lord 

She called Him - Lord... you are my Lord, you are the Messiah long foretold who would save us from our sin!  You are my Lord and Savior!  And so Jesus seeing her faith, said:

Go, and sin no more

You want real horsepower?  Pedal-to-metal horsepower?  Varoom!  Varoom!  Then sit at the foot of the cross and look up at the Savior who did it all, paid the full price with His precious blood... all for you.  Then do Him the honor by thanking and praising Him.  Read and ponder His Word to you.  Believe Him at His Word that says, "Thy sins be forgiven thee" (read Luther's Small Catechism - the Keys).  Then, and only then, can you pull a cart.  Otherwise, keep pushing your cart for the Devil.  Dear God!  How you have to keep pulling me from behind where I'm pushing my cart to put me back in front again – by Thy Word!  Keep me in Thy Precious Word!

Now go buy the book "The Formula of Concord – Core and Highlights" by C.F.W. Walther (read page 30) and throw the Devil back in his corner!

Missions to the Mormons – in 1884, a perilous effort

This post continues the series on Mormonism from the previous post on their zeal.
In this last post on Mormonism for awhile, I am bringing the earliest writing of Dr. Pieper on this subject.  It was in 1884, while C.F.W. Walther was still the president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, that Pieper wrote of Christian missions among the Mormons.  Utah was still a territory, not a state, for another 12 years. The article was in Lehre und Wehre, volume 30, page 226:

Missions among the Mormons. In our circles there is, if we are not very mistaken, often the idea that Mormons enjoy uncontested domination in their territory.  However, this is not so. There are Mormon communities in which the younger generation seems to have heard little of Christianity in Utah as well as in neighboring areas.  Also Dr. Walther proves this in a letter, published recently in Der Lutheraner, written to him from a young man who grew up among Mormons. (See Der Lutheraner, April 15, a.c.)  But presently in many places of the area occupied by the Mormons are conversions made already by Christian congregations quite keenly.  Admittedly, these missions go out for the most part from the fellowships of the sects, and only the Swedish Augustana-Synod has begun recently a Lutheran mission among the Mormons, to return to the Christian faith as much as possible the 40,000 Scandinavians seduced by the Mormons.  We refer to the "Augustana Observer" of the missions among the Mormons for the following notes: The Presbyterians among the Mormons have 18 ministers, 12 churches, 310 Communicants, higher and lower schools with 51 teachers and approximately 2,000 students; the Congregationalists 7 preachers, 21 teachers, 2 congregations with 200 members, 16 schools with over 700 students; and the Episcopalians 7 preacher, 5 congregations, 395 communicants, 5 schools with 700 pupils; the Methodists 10 preachers, 6 congregations, 189 members, 5 schools with 430 pupils.  The missions extend over 50 "of the principal towns".   The "Augustana Observer" says this on the Lutheran mission: "So far, the Lutheran church has been able to do very little. The Swedish Augustana Synod has established a mission, and the great work of regaining 40,000 seduced Scandinavians, rests on our fellowship."  The same journal writes on the fanaticism of the Mormons: "Few people outside of Utah have an idea of ​​the vengeance, the unscrupulousness and the devilish cunning of the Mormon priesthood (?).  If Utah became a state under the present conditions, the life of no Christian teacher or preacher would be sure in Utah beyond Salt Lake City and Ogden where the Americans are primarily concentrated.  Even now, under a brave and competent governor and at American courts of law, it cannot be prevented that at night the windows are smashed in the houses in the country districts which are inhabited by Christian teachers and preachers.  Lives have been so threatened on and on.  School houses and churches are damaged repeatedly and set on fire."   F.P.

I don't know how it is today in Utah and surrounding areas... but I suspect similar conditions exist for Christians in the state dominated by Mormons, especially in the "country districts".
[2017-05-13: see also Der Lutheraner series, 1912 vol. 68 pp. 262, 279, 293 by Prof. Eduard Pardieck on the Mormons]

Mormonism's "extraordinary zeal"

This post continues the series on Mormonism from the previous post about their early practice of polygamy.
Most people are aware of the zeal of Mormons... the pair of boys on bicycles in neighborhoods neatly dressed with only maybe a book or book pack on them...  looking to stop at houses to "convert" the households to their sect.  Franz Pieper reports how it was in 1898 of these captive people in Lehre und Wehre, volume 44, pages 121-122:

Activity of Mormons. A Presbyterian journal reported that in North Carolina there are more Mormon missionaries than Presbyterian preachers, and that they work in mountain areas with great success. There exists no prospect that the Mormon sect becomes extinct soon.  An error can be even so crass: the devil already provides for the fact that he finds followers. As the above was already written, we found the following said about Mormons: "The statistics of their last General Conference shows that the increase in membership by baptism of children who have reached the eighth year, and by 'conversion' of adults in the last year was greater in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and Canada than in any year in the history of Mormonism. In other states, even in Mexico, they have experienced a significant increase, proportionally the largest in New England, in the States east of the Missouri, north of the Ohio river, and in California and Oregon. They have divided well their 'work area' and occupy not less than 1400 traveling missionaries, mostly men in the prime of life that exhibit an extraordinary zeal.  As in all of Wisconsin, for which a special Mormon conference is set, their missionaries work in Fond du Lac, especially in Milwaukee; they not only move as much as possible from house to house, and try to win in particular women for their cause, but also every evening, hold conversion meetings on the street, in the manner of the Salvation Army."    F.P.

I will repeat Pieper's phrase: "...the devil already provides for the fact that he finds followers".

And in 1893, Pieper reported on the massive new Mormon temple completed at that time (L.u.W., vol. 39, pg 122).  This temple still is the main temple of Mormons.

The new Mormon temple which was "initiated" on the 6th of April is described in the newspapers: "The building is 186 1/2 feet long and 99 feet wide . The foundations are 19 feet thick; on these rest the granite walls which are 9 feet thick at the bottom and upwards narrowing to 6 feet thick. The immense stone construction which seems to be calculated for eternity carries 6 towers of about 200 feet high. The cost of the construction, as far as it can be determined is estimated about $4,000,000. The real temple has space for more than 6000 people, while the upper floors still contain many meeting rooms from which the biggest 2500 people can touch." What for offerings the fanaticism brings for a false religion! The devil is served much more keenly than Christ.    F.P.

The next post on Mormonism (last in this series) shows their true colors... their vengeance against true Christianity.

Mormons, polygamy, Mississippi

To follow the previous post which showed the worldly Mormon religion, Franz Pieper also commented on a state government grappling with the detrimental effects of a part of Mormonism – polygamy.  This practice has been pushed into the background now in America, but it wasn't so in 1900.  Pieper comments in Lehre und Wehre, volume 46, page 27:

Mormons. The Governor of the State of Mississippi recently recommended the enactment of laws which prevent the spread of Mormonism.  He said in his message that Mormon apostles under the guise of the Gospel seduced people into polygamy under the cloak of the Gospel.  Indeed, the state does not get out of line if it makes legally punishable, like polygamy, also the "provocation" of polygamy.     F.P.

Pieper identifies the estate of marriage as under the protection of the State.  It is the governments that are now going against the estate of marriage with their allowance of "men with men" and women who "change the natural use" of their bodies  –  Romans 1:26-27 – hardly happy or gay people.

The next post on Mormonism concerns their zeal.

Mormons, Rome, British, Jews, Socialists -> Kingdom of God on Earth!

In the previous post, I quoted Franz Pieper (F.P.) from the February, 1921 issue of Lehre und Wehre, page 62.  On that same page, he wrote about the frenzy in today's world to create a Kingdom of God on Earth.  Since there is much confusion in today's world about Mormonism, I am starting a series of posts on this "religion".  Here is Pieper's brief article:

A sharp competition for the establishment of the "Kingdom of God" on earth is currently before our eyes. Our "Latter Day Saints", the Mormons, still firmly believe that the state of Utah, in particular Salt Lake City with its temple, will be the center of a kingdom of God on earth, where "the saints" are the landlords and the kings and judges, while the "heathen", the non-Mormons themselves, will enjoy the "privilege", as plowmen, winemakers, gardeners, carpenters, etc. to serve the "saints".  Where Rome is concerned, it has of course fixed on its old sentence in relation to the kingdom of God: "I am the kingdom of God."  Also for many British, the kingdom of God coincides with British rule, and many Americans, particularly those whose American patriotism is beyond all doubt, are of the same opinion.  The Jerusalem-based Jerusalem News lays out the arrival of the British in Jerusalem as the coming of the Kingdom of God. This coming of the British kingdom of God seems to serve the expulsion of German missionaries from India and other places.  Furthermore: The Reform Jew Dr. Weizmann said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jewish University on the Mount of Olives, that from this University of the renewed and united Judaism will rule all mankind spiritually.  The Orthodox Jews who have come to Palestine would like with pleasure to put the place of spiritual rule at the physical one in Jerusalem, provisionally at least.  However they very soon came into conflict with the British authorities on that.  Everybody with each other seems to fear more or less the arrival of another realm, namely of God's kingdom of the Socialists and related connections.  And the possibility is not excluded that this kingdom of God may come yet.  In this competition for the kingdom of God, it is a great comfort to know that the real Kingdom of God, in spite of competition, will come and remain on the Day of Judgement, namely an invisible community such who believe by operation of the Holy Spirit the Gospel of the Savior of sinners that is a stumbling block to the Jews and to the Greeks foolishness.    F. P.

I have not taken time to research the specifics of Pieper's details on Mormonism, I will leave it there...  the reader can do their own Internet research.  But I believe Pieper had the relevant teachings of Mormonism correct.  There are many sites that show the false teachings of this "religion" which attempts to attach itself to Christianity – some sites more helpful than others.

The topic of "Socialism" that Pieper speaks of also has a complex history... just follow these topics in Wikipedia:
Socialism
Christian Socialism
Francis Bellamy (Baptist minister who wrote Pledge of Allegiance, was a "Christian socialist")
Bellamy Salute (ha!)

See the next post on Mormonism... polygamy.

Doctorate... in Advertising? ... education?

     Franz Pieper took note of where "higher education" was going in his lifetime.  He saw public universities falling away from delivering a good education.  In February of 1921, he wrote the following about talk of a new degree in "advertising".  It was published in Lehre und Wehre, volume 67, pages 62-63:

"Doctor of Advertising Arts." We read in School Life, the organ of our education offices in Washington:

"Degrees in advertising to be granted by the University of California, Leland Stanford Junior University, the University of Washington, Oregon Agricultral College, and other Pacific coast colleges and universities are urged by Harry P. Carroll, of Los Angeles, president of the Pacific Coast Advertising Club. With Marc N. Goodnow, head of the School of Journalism of the University of California, as chairman, a committee of five has been appointed to present the matter to the several institutions." 

A title of Doctor of Advertising would be in name only, not new in substance. Thousands of "doctors" live in the world and have a great name in the world, whose ability consists in, under the name and title of "science" for the public, especially the "intelligent" public, something to "pretend".    F.P.

Franz Pieper was not impressed with Ph.D. degrees.  When he embraced Walter A. Maier (WAM) after WAM received his Ph.D. from Harvard, he did not do this to congratulate him on this degree.  Why?  Because WAM was to be a professor of Theology, and Harvard University only pretended to know Theology.  So also for the University of Chicago where other Concordia Seminary professors received their Ph.D. degrees, much to their discredit and weakness in theological matters.

Much could be spoken of today's advertising.  One notices that Adobe software company speaks of "evangelists" as teachers of its software products.  They imply that their software brings the great "Good News" of... what?  graphic software, not the real Good News of the Gospel, the salvation of the world from its sins worked by Christ on the cross – i.e. the Open Heaven.  So we see in today's "advertising" much deception... and it takes doctorates to figure this out.  BTW, have you noticed there are no graphic pictures in the Bible... just words... and the Word (John 1:1).  No amount of Photoshop can touch these words, although scholars try their best.

In my next post, I will publish Franz Pieper's comments relating to Mormonism, starting from this same issue of Lehre und Wehre.