Report on the proceedings of the Iowa District.
This District held its 2nd meeting in the midst of the dear Immanuel congregation of Pastor Bräuer in Bremer County from May 19 to 26. The opening sermon was preached by the reverend Vice-President of the General Synod, Prof. R. Lange, on 2 Cor. 3:5-9. Thirteen Theses on the difference between the Law and the Gospel formed the basis of the doctrinal discussions, which were led by Prof. [Franz] Pieper. The 4 first theses form the introduction; in the 9 remaining theses special cases are listed, since Law and Gospel are mixed. Now a few Theses from the exceedingly marvelous proceedings. The doctrinal content of the entire Holy Scripture, both the Old and the New Testament, consists of two fundamentally different doctrines, namely the Law and the Gospel. The Scriptures seem to say this and the opposite. At one time it condemns man, at another it gives him salvation; at one time it says, “Do this, and thou shalt live,” at another that no one is saved by the work of the Law, but by grace alone. So there are two fundamentally different teachings of Holy Scripture. The main differences between Law and Gospel are stated in our Catechism, Fr. 155. — Now it is not enough for a preacher to present all the articles of faith according to Scripture, but if he wants to be a pure teacher, he must rightly distinguish Law and Gospel from one another, according to the words of St. Paul, 2 Tim. 2:15: “Make every effort to show God a righteous, blameless worker, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Such right division of the Law and Gospel is the most difficult and highest Christian and theological art, which the Holy Spirit alone teaches in the school of experience. Dr. Luther says about it: “Whoever can do this article is called a doctor and put on top. The right knowledge of the difference between the Law and the Gospel is exceedingly necessary and salutary; for it is not only a marvelous light for the right understanding of the whole of Holy Scripture, but without this knowledge the same is and remains a tightly closed book. This is the reason why the enthusiasts, and sometimes also the Pope, want to prove their false doctrines with passages of the Holy Scriptures, because they are lacking this glorious light and therefore do not understand the Scriptures. They know neither the Law nor the Gospel properly, and therefore cannot divide the two properly from each other. They preach neither the Law in all its severity nor the Gospel in all its sweetness, and thus violate the article of justification and rob God of glory. For the Law, if it is preached rightly, condemns man altogether; it shows that there is nothing good at all to be found in him. The Gospel, however, is the good news that God has saved all lost and condemned sinners by grace through and for the sake of Christ. So man does not need to acquire the grace of God through his repentance, through his penance, through his prayers and struggles (he cannot do this, because he is dead in transgression and sin), but God is already gracious and reconciled to him for the sake of Christ. This is what God says in the Gospel to all sinners who have been frightened by the Law; in the Gospel He gives and gives them Christ and salvation. Afterwards, when man is thus born again, the Law serves him as a rule according to which he arranges his life more and more. But he who leaves to the natural, unregenerate man and his powers even the smallest thing in the work of salvation and ascribes it to him, does not preach the Law rightly, nor can he preach the Gospel rightly. In summary: the words “Law” and “Gospel” are spoken easily and quickly, but to understand what they mean and say is something every Christian has to learn all his life. — May the book about this important article come into the hands of many; it will be a great blessing to everyone, whether Christian or non-Christian, by the grace of God. —
In the afternoon sessions, missions were discussed to a large extent. The synod decided to hire a school teacher in Council Bluffs as soon as possible and thus make a start in this town, which is important for the mission in the West.
The proposals of the Synodal Conference concerning state synods and the establishment of a collective seminary were adopted.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the Synod strongly recommended that the congregations of its district celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession with festive worship. S. [G. Schaller]
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Franz Pieper, the Twentieth Century Luther.
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