Hist21: Full texts of Hochstetter's History

[2020-10-11: fixed 1 download link]

     This continues from Part 20 (Table of Contents in Part 3), a series presenting an English translation of Pastor Christian Hochstetter's 1885 496-page book entitled (abbreviated) The History of the Missouri Synod, 1838-1884. — Up to now this book has been serialized by chapter. This post now presents a full complement of downloads for the full text content of both languages, German and English.

Advantages of digital electronic copy:

• Fully hyperlinked for ease of navigation from any page.
• Hundreds of reference hyperlinks for further information on a subject/person.
• Instant searching for words, subjects, persons, places, etc. (although there is no index - yet)
• Each page corresponds exactly to the original German page so that references can be made to the same page in both the German book and this corresponding English translation.
• Added many items to Table of Contents for each chapter to enable quick reference to each major topic within the chapter.
• Jump links at "Top" for every interval of 10 pages.

German language original text, download >> HERE <<. (fully corrected, fewer hyperlinks)

English language downloads:

With highlighting: >> HERE <<;  No highlighting: >> HERE <<;  DOCX:  >> HERE * <<
Download PDF for printing: >> HERE <<

The printable PDF version is on Internet Archive which provides hyperlinking to each page of the English language book.

      I am including below an embedded window of the full text with highlighting for those that land on this site and want to browse it before downloading (LARGE FILE - allow time for downloading 496 page book):

In the next Part 22a, the critical LC-MS.

Hist20: Hochstetter's obituary; “mouth of Walther”

      This continues from Part 19 (Table of Contents in Part 3), a series presenting an English translation of Pastor Christian Hochstetter's 1885 496-page book entitled (abbreviated) The History of the Missouri Synod, 1838-1884. — I have been informed of an obituary printed in the December 19, 1905 issue of Der Lutheraner, p. 403-404, and consider it worthy of inclusion in this series on Hochstetter's History. In it we hear that our author was imminently qualified to write his book, using "his own experience, as well as on accounts from the mouth of Dr. Walther and other credible witnesses." We hear that his book was well read in the Old Missouri.  This is one more testimony for all Lutherans to consider reading this book, now that it is fully available in the English language, free of critical "scholarly" comments by modernist LC-MS writers. Translation by BackToLuther, highlighting is mine. — In the next Part 21, the full texts of the book.

———————————————

† Christian Hochstetter †

Pastor Christian Hochstetter, this faithful servant and witness of Jesus Christ, has long been known and loved by probably most readers of Der Lutheraner especially from his History of the Missouri Synod. He has now gone home. After a long period of severe kidney disease, he passed away in Jordan, Canada, (p. 404) on June 12 at the age of 77 years, 2 months and 11 days. His tired body was laid to rest two days later in God's field [or cemetary] in Wolcottsville, N. America., next to his first wife. At the funeral service, which was held in the church of Wolcottsville, the local Pastor Lohrmann preached on the text John 17:6 which was chosen by the deceased himself. Pastor Senne then gave a short address on Luke 2:29-30., and P. Michel officiated at the tomb. The congregation was all present at the funeral service of their former pastor. The schoolchildren, all of whom had probably been baptized by Pastor Hochstetter, sang a fitting farewell song at his coffin.

The deceased was born on April 1, 1828, in Lorch, Kingdom of Württemberg. After completing his studies in Tübingen, he was first active in the old Fatherland as a tutor and pastor. But because he could not participate in the unionism that had eaten through everything, he moved to America after only a few years. Here he served for several years the congregations belonging to the Ohio Synod in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Toledo, Ohio. In 1857, he followed a call as a deacon to the congregation of the Pastor Grabau in Buffalo, N. Y. and at the same time joined the Buffalo Synod. He remained in this position until this congregation was divided. In 1866, the Buffalo Synod on the one hand and representatives of the Missouri Synod on the other held a doctrinal discussion. The result of this so-called colloquium was that Pastor Hochstetter with a large part of the congregation of Pastor Grabau’s renounced the Buffalo Synod for the sake of doctrines and joined the Buffalo Trinity Church of the Missouri Synod. At this now significantly enlarged congregation he officiated together with the then pastor of the congregations, Pastor Ruhland, for about half a year. In the fall of that year, he accepted a calling from one of our congregations in Pittsburgh, Pa. He then ministered in turn to St. Paul's parish in Indianapolis, Indiana, the congregations in Frohna, Mo., in Stonebridge, Can., in Wolcottsville, N. Y., where he administered the Ministry for eighteen years, and finally in Jordan, Canada.

Pastor Hochstetter was also almost constantly active in the literary field. When he was a member of the Ohio Synod, he wrote a treatise on Holy Baptism in which he defended this sacrament against the despisers of it in and outside of his Synod. He also wrote a booklet on Holy Communion, also in defense of this sacrament. While he was a member of the Buffalo Synod, he was active in the publication Informatorium and was editor of the Historisches Zeitblatt. As pastor of our Synod, while standing in Stonebridge, Can., he was editor of the Lutherisches Volksblatt for several years. In this paper he published a long series of articles, titled “Erinnerungen an Dr. C. F. W. Walther” (Memories of Dr. C. F. W. Walther), which are currently appearing in the "Zeugen und Anzeiger", as Hochstetter himself elaborated. In Wolcottsville he wrote the extremely interesting book:History of the Missouri Synod, which he wrote based on his own experience, as well as on accounts from the mouth of Dr. Walther and other credible witnesses. [Balance in "Read more" below]

Hist19: Chp 13c– Schwan's address; Hochstetter reviews

H. C. Schwan

         This continues from Part 18 (Table of Contents in Part 3), a series presenting an English translation of Pastor Christian Hochstetter's 1885 496-page book entitled (abbreviated) The History of the Missouri Synod, 1838-1884. It concludes the text of the book — One might wonder that the effects of the Predestinarian Controversy would have been dispensed with by now, but instead we are treated to a magnificent address by President H. C. Schwan on the blessed victory in the Truth won by the Missouri Synod.  Anyone who still finds themselves a little confused over the doctrine of the Election of Grace, or Predestination, (like me) would do well to read Schwan's address for a plainly worded explanation of it, and why the Missouri Synod had to be right. It had to do with the "general promises of grace in the Gospel". This address shows why his famous "Schwan's Catechism" became so popular in the Old Missouri Synod. — Following this, our author Hochstetter then spoke for the whole Old Missouri Synod as he surveys the history to his time.  He begins with the statement that it was "a story full of church battles".  This echoes Walther's statement from his sickbed to Pieper that "the dispute was hard, very hard. We have experienced a lot of opposition. But I could not help it. When the Lord Christ asks me on the Last Day why I taught thus, I will answer: Thou, O Christ, with your clear Word hath taught me and seduced me.”  The battles were not Walther's or the Missouri Synod's battles, they were the battles of the Lord, fought with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17). 

Some quotes from Chapter 13c: (458-480)

461: Schwan's address: "For only those to whom the Lord grants victory are victors."

463: "For the more… the dear simple-minded people are concerned about the general promises of grace of the Gospel, the easier it is to persuade them that only from these passages can the doctrine of God's eternal election be taken or explained."

464: "No, if we sincerely believe that it is the Lord… then our joy must be… the joy in the Lord."

466: Hochstetter's Review: "Are we to watch idly when the Pope, as the real Antichrist, fights against Christ with his servants?"

467: "Those err grievously who think that it is best for the church to live quite peacefully, without struggle."

470: "…convinced that Luther was… the angel with the eternal Gospel… to fly through the midst of heaven"

470: "…while we do not… accept such open questions as the Iowans prefer"

471: "but we accept the Lutheran Confessions without reserve, because… thoroughly Scriptural confession"

473: Luther: "Contradict the willful spirits, otherwise your confession will be merely a mask, and of no use."

474: "one read in a radical public paper… these Old Lutherans would also be driven out of America!"

476: "… church property insurance, with which other synods… chain the congregations to themselves"

477: "whether the world despises or praises us for it… we will not be judged according to its standard"

479: "United States… which had made the separation of church and state and complete freedom of religion"

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The following is an English translation of C. Hochstetter's Geschichte… by BackToLuther utilizing the DeepL Translator with minor assistance from Dr. Fred Kramer's translation.  All hyperlinks, highlighting and red text in square brackets [] are mine. All internal hyperlinks are active in this embedded window, external links should be opened in a new tab or window.

United States of America?

As joyful the Old Missouri Lutherans were over their new land of "North America's United States", so fearful are these times for this same country. They highly valued this country's “separation of church and state”, i.e. no Roman Catholic domination, and “complete freedom of religion”.  These principles are no longer defended widely anymore, perhaps even ridiculed.  As the German deacon Uhrlandt stated at the founding of America (Hochstetter, p. 479): 

“The Church of Jesus Christ should and will remain, even if He… should rebuild it outside Europe, and the political circumstances are becoming more and more conducive to this, especially since now in the West an independent Christian state has come into being.”  

One could substitute "America" for "Europe" in the above statement. Occasionally one reads of Christian strength in Africa… Lord, have mercy on us! — After the break below, the customary fine text version, then Part 20, Hochstetter's obituary.

Hist18: Chp 13b— St. Louis, America’s new Wittenberg; Walther's Sem. building addresses, greatest on USA soil

      This continues from Part 17 (Table of Contents in Part 3), a series presenting an English translation of Pastor Christian Hochstetter's 1885 496-page book entitled (abbreviated) The History of the Missouri Synod, 1838-1884. It also follows an Excursus on Pastors Brunn and Blechschmidt of Steeden, Germany. — This portion introduces no new names to us, but publishes two of the greatest addresses ever given on the soil of America. Walther's address at the October 1, 1882 cornerstone laying for the new Seminary building has, as far as I can tell, never been published in its entirety in an English translation (p. 440-446). That was a surprise to me because of its beautiful dedication, and striking warnings. Also August Suelflow's translation (Servant of the Word, p. 95-101) of the dedication of the new Seminary building on Sept. 9, 1883 (see p. 447-458) omitted significant portions.  Both of these addresses are now fully translated below. — I have said it before, but I will say it again:

“God did bless America… He sent C. F. W. Walther!”

Some quotes from Chapter 13b: (437-458)
443: Walther at cornerstone laying: "Our foundation-stone means Christ, … and His Holy Word…  the Concordia of 1580,  …the foundation of our institution, called 'Concordia' after this confession"
447: 1883 dedication: "I can testify that 44 years ago our little log cabin also appeared to us as a palace"
450: "In this house,… the main teacher shall be Christ, our one Master himself, and after the holy apostles and prophets shall be none other than Dr. Martin Luther, the Reformer of the Church, who was raised and sealed by God."
453: "To want to transplant the old Lutheran Church, which submits to every letter of the Word of God, to this new land of untamed lust for freedom, seemed indeed to be a quite hopeless…"

453-454: “When the congregations saw that the pastors of our Synod brought them… certainty of God's grace and of their salvation,… the knowledge of their glorious Christian freedom and their sacred congregation rights;… preferred to suffer hunger and sorrow, disgrace, persecution and expulsion, rather than give way in one letter to ‘God's Word and Luther's doctrine’”

456: “We Lutherans abhor the principle that the end justifies the means.”

458: “Bless this land and its government, under whose earthly protection this house now stands.”
Images of men and buildings appearing in Chapter 13b: (437-458) 

  Schmidt  —   Allwardt  —  Walther;      Concordia Sem.:       1844                       1850                     1858-1882                       1883

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The following is an English translation of C. Hochstetter's Geschichte… by BackToLuther utilizing the DeepL Translator with minor assistance from Dr. Fred Kramer's translation.  All hyperlinks, highlighting and red text in square brackets [] are mine. All internal hyperlinks are active in this embedded window, external links should be opened in a new tab or window.

After the break below the customary fine text version, then the concluding Chapter 13c, in Part 19. (There may be an intervening Excursus inserted.)

Steeden, Germany–then & now: Brunn & Blechschmidt

Orthodox pastors and teachers from Steeden, Germany:
         Friedrich Brunn (1860s)    —    Martin Blechschmidt (2020)

      This "Excursus" follows Chapter 13a (Hist17) of Hochstetter's History, a portion which included a report on Pastor Friedrich Brunn's (Find-A-Grave) activities in Germany. Brunn's institution in Steeden provided over 200 men to the still young Missouri Synod.  The story from Steeden in Germany is not over, for a congregation still exists in Steeden that is following in the footsteps of Friedrich Brunn. — It was Brunn in Steeden who gave the troubled missionaries Carl Manthey Zorn and others a platform to voice their concerns against the erring Leipzig Mission Society (Hochstetter p. 423). Today, Pastor Martin Blechschmidt teaches and defends true Lutheran doctrine in Germany and Europe, including that of the Doctrine of the Church and Ministry, in the land of Luther, in Germany and in other European countries. 

fell away on
Church & Ministry

      It was Friedrich Brunn who, although he had received comfort from Wilhelm Loehe in his early struggles, in contrast to Loehe, did not fall away from the truth and so defended the Lutheran doctrine of the Church, publishing a book upholding it (German text, English translation).  It teaches the Lutheran, Scriptural doctrine, just as C.F.W. Walther in Church and Ministry.  — According to a book by Brunn's grandson (p. 38), "when Prof. Walther of the Semin­ary again came to Germany in 1860, he visited Pastor Brunn in Steeden and personally asked his help in preparing young people for the American Ministry." Why was this? Because "the Association with Loehe had ter­minated".  And Hochstetter's History gives the details of why there had to be a separation.

      Martin Blechschmidt from Steeden presented a scholarly essay to an international gathering in 2016 regarding the errors of the Wisconsin Synod on Church and Ministry "The Wauwatosa-Theology in the light of hermeneutical principles" (German text, English text).  President Friedrich Pfotenhauer would be pleased with this essay!  On pages 3 and 8, Blechschmidt states:

The reason for the discrepancy in the teaching position seems to be primarily in the misled approach of Wauwatosa theologians to God's Word. They neglect hermeneutical principles. According to them the scripture is not clear enough. The way they interpret certain verses prevents dogmatic conclusions because they seem to believe that the degree of certainty in the respective verses is very low. With two premises they force themselves into an unbiblical, non-Lutheran direction.… the WELS has no biblical foundation against the abolishment of the ministry. 

Steeden - 1860s
Church & proseminary

Steeden - today

In both men of Steeden we find strength regarding the Scriptural doctrines of Church and Ministry. Both teachers agree with Walther's teaching, both defended against the errors that Walther defended against. — From the website of the Steeden Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Congregation (translated, websites here and here; pic here)

“In the various regional churches and also in the existing Lutheran Free Churches, Bible criticism, stubbornly advocated false doctrines, unbiblical practice and false ecumenism have gained the upper hand. For this reason, the Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel congregation in Steeden is independent.”

The basis of these Steeden congregations, old and new, is essentially the same.  May European Christianity (German, French, Russian languages!), and Lutheranism be benefitted by their bold testimony to the truth.
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For Loehe, Neuendettelsau, Romanizing,
not Brunn, true Lutheranism

      Today Concordia Theological Seminary-Ft. Wayne honors Wilhelm Loehe in many ways more than C.F.W. Walther.  They may attempt to explain their basis for this, that he supplied many men for the ministry to the Missouri Synod.  If that reason was actually true, they would be honoring Friedrich Brunn just as much or more, for Brunn of Steeden supplied over 200 men!  But they rather honor Pastor Loehe for the errors he held to, his errors on Church and Ministry, especially his Romanizing tendencies.  Today they do not honor Brunn.  But it was not always that way – about 50 years ago, in the December 1971 issue of Concordia Theological Quarterly, Prof. E.F. Klug wrote a glowing essay and book review that spoke of the service of the dear Pastor Friedrich Brunn.  Although it can be read directly from the CTS-FW Media Resources online copy, yet I want to re-publish a quality text version here with some images added from the book he reviewed..  —  The next blog continues Hochstetter's History, Part 18, Chapter 13b.

The Springfielder — December 1971 — Volume 35, Number 3

“Triumph of Truth” —

A footnote to the History of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Illinois

E. F. Klug

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology (1960-  )

… Friedrich Brunn was not a mountain climber, but a man who moved mountains. The story of his remarkable life and service in the church is briefly and interestingly told by his grandson, Rev. August F. Brunn [† 1994 Find-A-Grave], who now lives in retirement at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Triumph of Truth, published during Epiphany, 1971, is a translation and adaptation from a German version, Zum Gedenken an Pfarrer Friedrich Brunn, compiled by a great granddaughter, Mrs. Gertrud Eikmeier Rücker. Printed in mimeograph form this memorial booklet marked the 150th birthday observance of Friedrich Brunn, in 1969, at Steeden (Saxony), Germany. [Balance of essay after Read More section below...]