January, 1937 - Concordia Theological Seminary

Continuing
LEHRE UNO WEHRE
MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK
THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY
Vol. vm
January, 1937
No.1
CONTENTS
Page
Die Schriftnamen fuer die IDhaber des goett6chen Predigtamtes.
J. H. C. Fritz _____________________ _________________ .
1
10
L. Fuerbrlnger _________________________
18
P. E. Kretzmann ____________
The Pastor and His OMce.
Kleine Besekielstudien.
J ustifleation, Sanctification, and Stewardship in Their Aims and
Relation to Each Other. w. Arndt ___ . _____ .______________________________ 28
Outlines on the Eisenach Epistle Selections ____ __________ ___________ 40
M"lSceIlanea ___ .________________ __________ ______________ _______________ _
55
Theological Observer. - KirchIich-ZeitgeschichtIiches
63
Book Review. - Literatur
72
Ein Prediger muss nlcht allein wei-
den. also dass er die Scbafe Wlterweise. wie sie rechte Christen sollen
sein. sondern auah daneben den Woelfen wellren, dass sle die Schafe nleht
angrei£en und mit falscher Lehre verfuehren und Irrtum einfuehren.
Luther.
Es 1st k ein Ding. das die Leute
mebr bei dec Kirche behaelt delUl
d ie gute Predigt. - Apologie, Arl. 24.
If the trumpet give an uncertain
sOWld who shall prepare h imself to
the battle? - 1 COT. 14, 8.
Published for the
Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States
CONCORDIA PUBLISIDNG HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo.
55
Miscellanea
We magnify Christ if we face death with the assurance that
to die is gain. Death is inevitable, Ps. 39, 4; 90,12; Reb. 9, 37.
However, Christ being our Life, death has no terrors for us,
Rom. 5, 1; 8,35-39. 1 Cor. 15, 55. 57. Death leads to gain beyond,
gain immediate, Phil. 1, 23; Rev. 14, 13, incalculable, 1 Cor. 2, 9,
everlasting, 1 Thess. 4, 17. Such an attitude towards death is
a powerful testimony to the greatness and grace of our Savior
Jesus Christ. Is the present life the only life we have? Are we
afraid to die? Is Christ our life? Do we magnify Christ by
facing death with the assurance that to die is gain?
Conclusion. - God give us grace that Christ always be magnified in our body, whether it be by life or by death!
WALTER
A.
BAEPLER.
Miscellanea
Are Changes Needed in Christianity?
Under this heading the Watchman-Examiner offers the following
editorial: ."The weather changes, fashions change, systems of thought and
customs of society change, people change. Many people are saying that
Christianity, or at least the proclamation of it, must undergo a radical
change before it will make any appeal to this sophisticated, skeptical age.
"In other words, according to these critics, the type of Christian
preaching that has stood the test for nineteen hundred years makes no
appeal to our age. Instead of preaching 'a plan of salvation,' the modern
preacher must seek 'to enhance our understanding of life and thereby
increase our enjoyment.' He must not 'harangue' his congregation with
the story of the cross of Christ as the only atonement for sin. In a word,
the 'propagandist' of yesterday must be the 'artist' and 'philosopher' of
tomorrow if he expects to be heard.
"It goes without saying that the minister of the Gospel should have
an acquaintance with the best that our age has to offer in science,
philosophy, literature, art, music, and the like, as well as in theology.
He should welcome truth wherever it is found and should seek to use it
in the broadening and the deepening of his ministry. This does not mean,
however, that he should substitute 'the wisdom of this world' for 'the
foolishness of preaching.' Paul did not do it, and yet he knew Greek
philosophy in all its ways and by-ways. Indeed, when he stood before
a Greek audience, he 'determined not to know anything ... save Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified.'
"Shall the preacher of today change his message? That is, shall
he substitute something else for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Athanasius,
Chrysostom, Augustine, Savonarola, Luther, Calvin, John Knox, all
realized that the preaching of the Gospel of Christ was the world's only
hope. They covered many centuries. Jesus as the Savior of the world
56
Miscellanea
was the passion of Wesley and of Whitefield, of Moody and of Spurgeon.
It is the passion of all really great preachers today. Before the preacher
changes his message, a study of the history of preaching is highly recommended. He will find that only the men who believed in the Gospel
of salvation really counted.
"'Our message is Jesus Christ,' declared the great missionary
Council at Jerusalem, which represented the thought and life of Christendom. This is our message today, and any substitute for it actually
contradicts Christianity. When Christianity has nothing to give to the
world except ethics, philosophy, literature, art, reform, and politics, it
will cease to be the power of God unto salvation. All of these things
have their place, but they are neither Christianity nor a substitute
for it. Christianity must preach Christ, and Him crucified, to be Christianity; and if it changes its message, it will perish.
"The preacher will not have to change his message until Christianity
itself changes, the Christianity revealed in the New Testament and
exemplified in nineteen hundred years of Christian experience. There
will be progress, to be sure, but the progress will be in coming to know
more about Jesus Christ and what He means to the world. No change
can take us beyond Christ. No human mind has yet ever fathomed
what are the riches of God in Christ Jesus.
"Charles Silvester Horne well said in The Romance of Preaching:
'Some trades and professions, it is clear, will die out as the kingdom
of God comes to its own. But for every voice that carries inspiration
to its fellows, for every soul that has some authentic word from the
Eternal wherewith to guide and .bless mankind, there will always be
a welcome. No changes of the future can cancel the commission of the
preacher. He does not hold that commission from any human society.
He is the servant of the Spirit.'''
Long Pastorates and Older Ministers
Under this heading the Watchman-Examiner offers the following
editorial, which might be considered also by Lutherans:"This question has come to us, 'Ought not our churches to have
young ministers and short pastorates?' That question cannot be answered in a sentence or two. In the light of the fact that we know of
a prominent church that sent out its committee to look for a pastor with
this injunction, 'Consider nobody over forty years of age,' perhaps it is
worth while to think this whole matter through.
"Some young ministers would convince any church of the desirability of short pastorates. They soon reach the bottom of their barrel.
They are so busy being 'a hail fellow' that they forget or neglect study,
and the pabulum which they serve is suitable for babes, but rather
nauseating for grown folks. On the other hand, some young ministers
of our acquaintance should stay twenty years, for they are growing
men, and each year their work is more acceptable than the year before.
It all depends on the man. We have known both kinds. There is much
that is attractive in youth, but it is not always possible to find old
heads on young shoulders.
Miscellanea
57
"It is the height of absurdity for a church to appoint a pulpit committee and then to tie their hands by saying, 'Consider nobody over
forty years of age.' Many of our older ministers are our abler ministers. In law, in medicine, in statesmanship, and in large business
enterprises the world does not despise age and experience. Often when
our churches are choosing ministers, age has the first consideration, and
experience is counted of little value. Our Supreme Court Justices are
all too old to qualify for a pastorate in the Baptist denomination here
in America. It is declared that in Great Britain 500 ministers in activ!;.
service have passed their seventy-fifth birthday and that 1,400 have
passed their seventieth birthday.
"Weare not pleading for men who have outlived their usefulness.
Of course, there are older men in our ministry whose brains have ceased
to work, whose words have become fossilized, and whose very appearance has become unattractive. There are men who have gotten into
a rut, which is but another name for a grave. On the other hand, we
have a multitude of ministers past sixty who are alert, up-to-date, and
fifty per cent. more effective because of the wisdom and experience that
the years have brought. It is a crime against our holy cause for pulpit
committees to count these men out because of their age. Their years
and what the years have brought to them constitute an asset rather
than a liability.
"As to the second part of the question we may frankly say that we
favor long pastorates. By that we do not mean that a pastor whose
influence has worn out should stay at a church until he kills it. Let us
use an up-to-date illustration. The Presbytery of New York City is
a great and influential body. When these statistics were gathered, four
of their pastors in this vicinity had been in their churches for from
thirty to forty years, six from twenty to thirty years, ten from fifteen
to nineteen years, fourteen from ten to fourteen years, fifteen from five
to nine years. Had not these long pastorates much to do with the influence of these churches in this section of the world? A long-time
pastor becomes increasingly valuable to a church if he is a good
preacher, a faithful shepherd of the flock, and a genial Christian gentleman, and these things all ministers ought to be."
To this we add a short article by the late Dr. A. T. Robertson:"Some pastorates are too long. It is not possible to refute that
statement. It may be true in some instances, that the pastor has refused
to take numerous more or less loud hints that he should move on.
A Negro Baptist deacon was once asked if his pastor was still with the
church. 'Yassah,' he replied. 'We presented him with his resignation,
and he refused to accept it.' It is said that one time a prominent deacon
informed Dr. W. E. Hatcher that he ought to resign, whereupon
Dr. Hatcher gave the deacon to understand that he could go himself,
and he did. Usually, however, the deacon has his way in the long run
if he is bent on his pastor's going. I know of one instance where the
pastor was excluded by the deacons, and the deacons by the pastor.
Sometimes the church is split by the pastor's remaining too long. And
then the division is often overruled for good.
Miscellanea
58
"But, on the whole, I sincerely believe that more good than harm
comes from the long pastorate. There are exceptions, to be sure, when
one longs for the powers of the Methodist bishop to move a misfit pastor
to a field that he does suit. Some congregations are more long-suffering
than others and practise the grace of courtesy and forbearance. Churches
differ on this point. Some are captious and critical and hard to please.
Others are gracious and generous to a fault.
"It would be interesting if we had the views of those ministers,
living or dead, who have weathered the storm and have made good in
their pastorate. There is probably no one patent receipt for success in
the ministry, but granting some gifts and some piety, work is the thing
that tells most. There is no substitute for it. The supply of old sermons
will run out. The freshness of the preacher's manner will wear off.
Nothing but constant and wide application of one's energies will make
it possible or worth while to stay long in one pastorate. My own observation is that more pastors fail in the study than anywhere else. They
allow their time to be frittered away by odds and ends of things more
or less important, with the result that they do not grow in knowledge
or in power. The sermon soon becomes thin, and the interest flags, and
the day is lost. It comes at last to this, that the modern pastor must
know how to use his time like any other business man. He is a business
man of a special type who orders his own time and can waste it, but
not without paying the cost.
"One who is in a position to hear preachers tell their troubles knows
that many of them are dissatisfied where they are and wish earnestly
to make a change, and sometimes the people heartily agree with them.
It is not always easy to manage. I knew a committee on a new pastor
that received a letter from the board of deacons of another church
recommending their pastor to the committee. The humor of the situation wholly escaped the deacons. Some preachers ought to change their
fields and ought to be helped to do it, but it is a difficult and delicate
matter. If the pastor resigns without a call, it is hard to get a church
interested in him. And yet it may not be the pastor's fault in this case.
The best rule for the pastor is to make good where he is. That is the
surest way to be asked to go somewhere else. If a minister succeeds
where he is, he may not care to go elsewhere; and ought he to go?"
4)unbert 3aljre
£ei.~~iget
IDHffion
Diefen ;;ragen, genau am 17. 2!uguft [1936], lie~t Me Eeipsiget
Wliffion aUf ein ~unber±ja~tige~ mefte~en Sutlicf. @lie ~at Datum lieteit~
in bet ;;rtinitati~roodje biefe~ ~a~te~ iqte Sjunber±jaqtfeiet mit einet ~anf~
feiet auf bem Eeip5iget Wlatftpra~ unb einem ffeftaftu~ im ®eroanbqau~
liegangen.
~ie ®efdjid)te bet Eeip5iget Wliffion qat mit bet unfetet @'ib.~2utq.
ffteifirdje De~ of±eten in )ffiedjfeIliesiequng geftanben, fo baj3 vei biefet Sjun~
bettjaqrfeiet aUetlet aud) au~ bet lBetgangenqeit unfeter llitdje roiebet
relienbig lD~tb unb e~ ba~et lietedjiigt etfdjeint, baj3 roit audj in unfetm
[lIatt auf bie~ @teigni~ meaug neqmen.
Wliffionsinfpeftot )ffieibauer ergCiqU im //@b.~Eutq. Wliifion~liIatt" au~
~n
Miscellanea
59
bet 3cit biefct ~unberl ~a~te. 3uniicljft oeftanb, burclj ba£1 ®ttoocljen be£1
@lauoen£1leoen£1 in ~eutfcljranb lJefrucljtet, ern WCiffion£1fjiIf£1betein in ~te£1~
ben, bet bann am 17. ~uguft 1836 feine Um.lUanblung itl dne feHiftiinbige
WCiffion£1gefellfcljaft oefd}Ion, bie @:b.d!ut~. WCiffion au ~te£1ben. ~a£1 ~eue
unb [lefonbete an biefet @efeIlfcljaft wat Hite enge [linbung an ba£1 [le~
fenntni£1 ber elJangelifclj~rutfjerifcljen SNtclje. ~n einem ~ufruf biefet .Bdt
fjeint e£1 batum: n@lie ~oen liingft ben ~unfclj gefjegt, bat eine WCiffion£1~
gefeIlfcljaft im lieoen beu±fcljen matetlanb beftefjen moclj±e, bie, oqne Die
WCiffion£1oef±teoungen anberet stonfeffionen im getingften au lJetbiicljtigen,
ficlj ftreng an ba~ [lefenntni£1 bet ebangeIifclj,~rutfjetifcljen stitclje anfcljriiffe,
ifjte ,WCiffionate aUf bie£1 [lefenn±ni£1 betlOfliclj±e unb fie anmeifen liete, ifjte
@emeinben au£1 ben $,'leiben aUf @runb biefe£1 [lefenntniffe~ au fantmeln."
~r£1 foIclje IDCiffion£1gef eUf cljaft oot liclj ben IDHffionsfteunben lJie bmnaHge
~resbenet IDhffion an. (1;6 fann fein .Bmeifer batiioet beftefjen, ban ei3 ifjr
mit hiefem Wnetoie±en qeifiget @:rnft mar, mie benn auclj bie 2eilOaiger WCif~
fion tatfiicljIiclj in ben erften ~aljtaefjnten ifjrei3 [lefteqeni3 cin $,'lori bei3
2utfjertumi3 mitten in bem bercits einfetenDen ~bfarr oefonbets auclj in bet
fiiclYfifcljen 2anbei3fitclje gewefen ift, bii3 fcljIienficlj auclj fie in ben @l±ruDeI
biefei3 WbfalIi3 ficlj mit ljineinteinen lien.
~oclj babon flOiiter. l8oterf± waten ber iJiifjrer bet aui3 ljSreunen naclj
bet amangi3weifen (1;infilfjtung bet Union au£1gemanbetten 2utfjeWHet, bet
eqemalige [lrei3lauet ljSrofeffot D. @lcljeioeI unb ber auclj bon D. [\5artqer
fjocljbetefjrte @laucljauet @lulOetintenben± D. !Rubefoaclj in l8eroinbung mit
bem fiicljfifcljen Sl'aoinett0miniftet ~e±reb @wf bon @:infiebeI ag @tiinber
bet neuen WCiffion£1gefeUfcljaft niclj± Die ID~iinnet, bem ru±qeti]d)cn [lefenn±~
nii3 irgenb ctwa£1 au lJetgeoen. Wuclj WCiinnet wie ber etfte IDciffioni3biteftot,
D. @rauI. unb bet etfte aui3gefanbte WCiffionat, WCiffioni3feniot (Iotbei3, waren
2utfjetaner bon ed)tem lticljro± unb ~Otn. .Bwgnii3 bafiir 1ft bie 1845 et~
fcljienenc iJlugfcljrift @raug n~ie ebangenfclj~rutqetifclje WCiffion au ~tei3~
ben an bie ebangeIifclj~Iutqetifclje stirclje allet 2anbe. !Offene @:rfliirung
unb Dringenbe WCaljnung. l8otwiiri'3 obet riid'wiiri£1?", bie nicljg weniger
batfteut ag ben ~erfuclj, !lie ~tei3benet WCifiion 3UtWCiffion be§ fonfeHio~
nell belnUtten @efamtru±ljer±umi3 bet ~eI± au macljen. .Beugnii3 bafiit ift
filt uni3 aoet auclj noclj ljeute bas ljetaliclje merqiirtnii3, bai3 in biefet .Beit
aur neuoegtunbeten beutfclj,~Iutqerifcljen WCiffoutiflJnobe in ~metifa beftanb,
bie bamaIi3 ifjre WCiffion£1folleften an biefe WCiffion abfiifjr±e.
@:i3 wat fiit bie neue WCiffion niclj± leiclj±, ein geeigneiei3 Wtbeiti3felb
au fin ben. ®tft naclj mancljetlci bcrgeoIicljen l8etfucljen in WuftraIien unb
Wmetifa toor es im ~aqre 1840 C1otbei3 geIungen, unier ben :t'amulen in
~nbien iJun au faffen.
~urclj oefonbete iYiigung @otte£1 aber ging ba§
~etf ftofjIiclj botlniitti3, fo ban beteit§ 1845 btei mofjlaUi3geoaute @liationen
in :t'ranquebar, \(Sotel)ar (mit Sfateclje±enfeminar) unb WCal)alJaram, llon
btei WCiffionaren oebien±. aUt l8erfiigung ftanben.
1848 ift bM ~aqr ber iiberfiebTung bet WCiffion bon ~rei3ben naclj
2eilOaig. WCaflgebenb bafiit llJ'aren bie gtOnerc ~eite bei3 [lIidi3 in 2eil-'aig,
bet [\5 ertfjanbeIi3ftabt, unb hie WCogficljfei± bet engen l8etoinbung ntH ber
t~eorogifdjen iJafurtiit bet 2eilOaiger Unibetfitiit, ciner ~erbinbung arret~
bingi3, bie ber WCiffion, befonbeti3 in Det ljSerfon be§ $,'laIOrutfjeraneri3 ljStof.
D. ,l3utljarbt, flOiitetfjin gerabeau 3um l8erfjiingnii3 werben fome.
60
Miscellanea
lmir fonnen nun ~ie1: bie roecljfefboIfe ®efcljiclj±e ber >2eij:Jaiger miHion,
bie reiclj an inneten Sfiim\Jfen ift, im einaeInen niclj± roetier berfofgen. WUt
ba13 fei noclj erlllii~n±, ba13 bie %Croeii in ~nbien, bie einen fegen§reicljen
t\'origang na~m, im ~a~re 1892 Durclj cine :DfiaftHamiffion noclj erroeitert
rourDe unb Da13 gerabe in ber jungften ®egenroati unier ber ±atftiifiigen
J2eitung jjSrof. D. Dr. ~~mer13', be§ lSo~ne§ be§ berftoroenen erften fiicljiifcljen
2anDe§bifcljof13, bie .\miffion einen gro13en ~ruffcljroung etfebt ~at. 3roei felli~
ftci:nDige .\miffion§fircljcn in ~nbien unD q±aftifa, jcbe eih:Ja 30,000 Gr~rif±en
aii~fenb, finb bie t\'tuclj± elner nunme~r ~unbertj~rigen %Croeit untet Den
s,;,eiben.
lmorauf rorit nun aIfcrbing§ in biefem 3ufammen~ang noclj au fj:Jtecljen
fommen mufren, ba§ ift ba§ fner~iinni§, in ba§ un§ unfere eigene ®efcljicljte
meljrmaIi3 au ber 2eipaiger .\miffion gefii!jrt !jat. lmie iclj fclj·on anbeutete,
ljat bie 2eipaiger llJhffion aUf bie :tJauer ficlj be13 ailen±ljaIben in bie bent<
fcljen 2anbe13fircljen einbringenben unionifHfcljen ®eif±e§ niclji erroeljren ron~
nen, .obfcljon fie l110ljf bie Ie~te ISteilung gell1cfen ift, bie geriiumt lmtrbe.
:tJa13 ift nun nicljt o!jne feljr fcljlllere .ltiimj:Jfe inner!jalb ber miffion bor ficlj
gegangen. 3roeimar ift ber fnerfuclj unternommen worDen, biefen ~bfaU
aufau!jarten. 3roeimar !jalJen ficlj .\miinner gefunben, bie in ben min traren.
SEetbe .\mare aber ~at bie llJIifjioll berfagt unb biefe manner baburclj ge~
aroungen, ficlj bon iljr au fcljeiben unb bort ®emeinfcljaf± au fucljen, roo man
mit iljnen bereH loar, gansen@:rnft mit bem lu±~erifcljen SEefenntni13 &U
macljen, in ber Iui!jerifcljen llJ(;iflourii\;Jnobe in Worbamerifa unb in Der @:b.~
5.lui!j. t\'reifirclje in lSacljfen n. a. 1St. ill :tJeutfcljlanb.
lmir fonnen barum bie .x;;unberiia!jrfeier Der 2ei\Jaiger .\miffion nicljt
boriibcrge!jen laffen, o~ne biefer S\'iim\Jfe 1l1tb biefer miinner aU§DrucHiclj au
gebenfen. Unb, Da§ um fo llleniger, aIi3 babon naiurIiclj, in ben ~uoiIiium§~
artifeln unb ~fcljriften gar niclji ober Iaum bie mebe iff.
illier ben erf±en biefer SEefenn±ni§fiimpfe inner!jalli ber 2eipaiger .\mif~
fion fann iclj miclj furs faffen, ba erft 'ffiraIiclj in biefem SElaH (~h. 9 bom
3 . .\mai) aUf i~n )Beaug genommen tllUrbe. t\'unf .\miffionare !jaben bamafi3
im ~aljre 1876 in ~nhien in einet @:ingabe an ben bamaIigc.n .\miHion0>
bireftor s,;,arbdanb im SEfid aUf Den sum .\mifiion§forregium ge~iirigen jjSrof·
D. 2utljarbt bie t\'orbetltng erljooen, "ba13 unferer .\miffion eine ISteIfung
geficljert lllerbe, ba13 biefeIbe tucbcr naclj IScljein noclj lmefen S\'irdjengemein~
fcljaft ober lSuoorbination§bcr!jiiIinii3 [= Unterorbnung§berljiiIini§] mit
folcljen !jat, lIJeIclje irgenbeiner SEdenn±ni§jnaljr~eit ... offen llliberfprecljen".
SDicfe t\'orberung roar niclj±§ anbere§ aI~ bie l1otroenbige t\'olge ber ISteUung,
bie Die llJIiffion aI§ cine oerou13t cbangeIifclj~lu±!jerifclje bi§~er eingenommen
~aite. lmar Die .\miffion noclj, roa§ fie bJJll %Cnfang gelnefen roar ober boclj
!jatie fein forren, fo nutf3±e fie jeDc fircljHclje )Uerbinbung unb @emeinfcljaft
mit folcljen aole~nen, Die i~rem SEefenn±nii3 roiberfpmcljen, unb noclj bid
lDeniger ronnie fie e§ burben, ba13 forclje lmiberfprecljer ®Ucber i1)rer eigenen
SEelJorbe roaren. SDie .\miffion§Ieltung lja± bamafi3 biefer felof±berftiinDIicljen
t\'orbetltng niclj± entfprocljen; fie !ja± J2u±ljarbt, befien lmiberfpruclj gegen
tJJicljtige )Befennini§toa!jr!jeiten ber bamaIigen J2ei±ung rooljI 'Oerou13± roar,
nidj± teiner ~hnter in ber .\miffion en±fe~t, gefcljweige benn bie llJliHion au§
ber fircljIid)en ®emeinfcljaf± mit bem immer ftecljer ljerborire±enDen Un~
glauocn geIlift. lSiati beffen rourben bier fener .\miHionare, @ruberi, lmm~
Miscellanea
61
fomm, 80rn unb 8uder, al~ fie um be~ @lelDiffen~ IDillen iljre @l±eIlung nicljt
aufaugeoen bermocljten, im fremben 2anbe friftIo~ entIaffen. @lie fanben
cine neue geiftriclje Sjeimat in ber IDCiffourifi)nobe, au beten 2eqrftellung fie
ficlj offen oefann±en. ~niif)ere~ iloer biefe IDCiinner unb iqre fernere fegen~~
reiclje m3irffamfeit im SDienf±e bcr m3aqrqeit lefe man in bem genannten
WrtiM in mr. 9 bieie.s Q3laite.s.
Woer noclj ein alDeite.s IDCal ift e.s gefcljeqen, baf3 bie 2eipaiger IDCiffion
im 2aufe iqrer @lefdjidj±e bor bie (tn±fdjcibung fUr ober gegen bie m3aqrqeit
gefteIlt lDorben iit. SDa.s luar in ben;saqren 1894 unb 1895. SDer IDCiHio~
nar 5tqeobor mii±qeT ljaHe aUf dner SfDnferena in 5tranqueoar einen ll.lor~
trag iloer bie 2cqre bon ber luiirtIidjen (tingeoung ber SjeiIigen @)cljrift
geqa1±en unb bie .)fonferenil bann aufgeforbert, ficlj au bem ,,2eqrgeqaU"
biefe.s gegen moherne ZSrrIeqren geridjteien ll.lortrag.s oU oefennen. SDiefer
WUfforberung iDar aoer nur ber fIeinere 5teH ber Sfonferena nacljgerommen,
fo baf:j miitqer, bem ficlj IDCiffionar IDCoqn anfcljlof:j, ll.leranlaffung naqm, ficlj
an ba.s WCiffion~foIlegium ilu IDwben unb im ll.lerIauf ber Wuseinanber~
feJ,Jungen baau fam, bie 5teiInaqme an einer gemeinfamen Woenbmaljgfeier
mit hem in ;snbien IDdlenben SDireftor bon @)cljlDarJ,J bon einer oefriebigen~
ben Wn±i:Dort aUf BlDei iSragen abqiingig ilU madjen, beren erfte lautete:
"ZSf± bie 2eqre bon ber ll.leroaIinfpiration [ber IDiirtficljen (tingeoung ber
SjeiIigen @)cljrift]' !Die @lcljrift unb l8efenntni~ fie leqren unb iclj fie in mei~
nem bDrjiiqrigen ll.lortrage mit ciner ffidqe bon Q3rilbern au oefennen bie
iSreube qaHe, bie aHeinoercdjtig±e 2cqrc in unferer IDCiffion, unb ift man
bemgemiif:j gelDillt, aIle @legenleqre al.B falfclje 2eqre au oefiimpfen unb ao~
ilutun ?"
SDa.s IDar dne oilnbige iSrage, auf hie e~ nur eine oilnbige Wntroort
geoen lonnte. (t.s tuar Sugreidj eine iSrage, bie e~ ber IDCiffion~leitung sum
ilroeiten IDCale gana fIarmadjen muj3te, baf:j es qier um ben @lrunb ging,
aUf bem bie IDCiffion oiBqer gef±anben qaite ober boclj qaite fteqen rooHen.
Wlier audj biefe§ alDeite Weal in iqrer @lefdjidjte, ba @lott fie bor bie m3aqr"
qeit0frage iteIl±e, qat bie IDCiffion berfag!. @ltatt bie m3aqrqeit au oefennen
unb ficlj aUf bie @leite ber m3aqrqeit au ftellen unb allen entgegeni±eqenben
ZSrr±um fIar au berlDerfen, qat man fidj oemilq±, ben @legenfaJ,J au ber"
fdjleiern (man rebete bon ,,2eqrmeinungen", neben benen man audj anbere
burben milff e) unb Me IDCiffionare in iqren l8eIDeggrilnben unb 0:oficljten
ilU berbiidjiigen, unb fcljIietIidj qat man in gerabIiniger iSofge biefe.s mer"
qaIten§ bie oeiben IDCiffionare aligefeJ,Jt. linb IDieber f±anb im Sjin±ergrunb
all biefes @lefdj'eqen.s jener IDCann, ber ber IDCiffion IDie fein anberer aum
ll.lerqiingni.s geroorDen ift, ~rof. 2u±qarbt. IDCan roag±e e~ elien nidjt, gegen
iqn, ber bamaI0 - nodj immer (lmeb be.s IDCiffion.s!oIlegium~ - bie oe~
rilqm±ef±e 2eucljie tqeofogifdjcr ,,).illiffenfcfjaf±" in SDeutfdjlanb roar, fidj au
roenben, DliIDoqI er be.s iif±cren bie 2cqre llon ber rooriridjen (tingeliung unb
ber ZSrrtum.slofigfeit ber .I)cHigen @ldjrift iiffentIiclj liefiimpft qaite.
:tIodj rounbcrliar [inb @loHc.s m3egc! (tlien au jener 8eit ±rug fidj bie
IDCiffourift)nobe in ~.[merifa, mit ber nnf ere iSreifirdje bon 0:nfang an in
innigfter @emeinfdj,aft be.s Q3efenn±nifie.s ftan1>, mit bem @le1>anfen, eine
Sjeibenmiffion ilu ocginnen. ZSapan IDar vuniidjf± ba.s is db, aUf ba.slief ow
beret l1mftiinbe Wegen bie 0:ugen baliei geridjtet roann. 0:oer bie bafilr
gefaf:j±en jj3Iiine aerfdjlugen fidj. mun erfdjoH iene.s 8engni.s au.s ZSnbien,
62
Miscellanea
unb ba lamen jene beiben WCiHionate, fampfien unb mten filt bie ~atjt"
~eit, I1JIutben um bet ~atjttjeit toillen ausgeftoflen unb ±a±en fdjIieflridj
basfellie, l1:Jas jene anbem biet getan tjai±en: fie befannten fidj au bet
51itdje, in ber allein nodj hie ~atjttjeit aIS ~atjrtjeit unb bie £iige al~
£iige galt. ~ar bas nidjt ein flarer tyingeqeig @oties?
,,~oIylan", fo fdjrieb bamaIS P. 20m, ciner jenet etften entlaffenen
WhHionare, im ,,£utfjetonet", ,,@oti befiefjIt uns, ~eibenmiffion au ±reiben,
@oti berliietet uns, mit falfdjglaubigen WliffionsgefeIIfdjaften au arlieiten;
aIS hlit eine eigene Wliffion ill ::Sapan anfangen l1:JolI±en, modj±e @oft es
UllS unmiiglidj; ba fommt ein @efdjrei bon ahlei Wliffionaten ber £eipaiget
Wliffion, bafl fie Wliffouriet feien - fie finb's audj - , bat bie um bes"
luiIIen aligefett feien. ~ir fjiiren unb fetjen, bafl es butdj @oUes @nab~
treue unb ±iidjtige £cute finb; fie berftetjen hie @SlJtadje ber 5tamulen, fie
fennen bas )golf, fie ftollben mitten in gefegne±er Wrlieit, fie l1:Jollien unb
toollen gem in Dftinbien hld±eratlieiten, fie ftanben alier miiflig am Wlatf±,
hlei! fie nicmanb bingte. ~ofjran! fjalien toit iett ein Wliffionsfefb? &Jalien
hlir jett Wliffionare? ~at uns @oft jett ben ~eg gehliefen unh eine 5tiit
mlfgetan? ~a I 5treue unb ±iidjtige unb toiHige Wrlieitet in f einem ~ein"
lierg fdjleubert er uns gleidjfam ins @efidj±, toei[ fie finb luie luit. ~otjran,
luir ncfjmen lie uub fenben fie hlieber tjin au ben 5tamuren unb finb getDif3
unb fagen raut: :BM ift @ottes ~iHe unb (\)ottes tyiifjrung."
@So gingen Wlotjn unb 9Cattjer aufammen mit einem l1:Jeiteten au itjnen
fidj liefennenben £eipaiget Wliffiouar, ~elletoauer, nadj nut furi3em Wuf"
en±tjart in :Beutfdjfanb unb Wmerifa toiebet fjinaus ins 5tanrurenranb unb
oegannen in sttiflJnagiti, an einem ~rat, too liis batjin nodj iiliettjaupt fein
ebangelifdjH G£tjrift au finben toar, jene geregnde Wrlieit, an beten gutem
tyorigang toit nodj tjeu±e unfete ty!Cube tjalien.
:Bie ~ege bet firdjHdjen WtoeH ber £eiPi3iget WliHion unlY bie ber
unftigen finlY toeit oUiOeinanbergegangen. @)ie mutt en auiOeinanbetgetjen,
toeir hie £eivaiget WliHion bie @tunbfiite berraffen unh berleugnet lJat,
auf bie itjre @tiinbet fie geliaut tjatten. ~arum aliet tjat fie hiefe @runb'"
fate 1JerIaffen? ~eir tjinier itjt nidjt eine gefdjloffene ±reurutljetifdje llirdje
fianb, bie fie in entfdjeibenben Wugenlilitfen tjar±en unh ftiiten fonnte, 10n"
bern hlei[ fie itjte Wrlicit ftelI±e aUf ben guten ~iIIen ber berf djiebenften
"Iuttjetifdjen" Sheife unb bann aUf beren ~iinfdje ffiiicffidjt netjmen mutte,
um Die eingetjenben (\)alien nidjt au gefiitjrlYen. ~efe ffiiicfficljt aUf Wlen"
fdjen tjat ber £eivaiget Wliffion bas ffiilcfgrat gelitodjen, fo bat i~re (stellung
fidj ~eute faum nodj unterfdjeibd bon ber ber ~metl1:Jerts" unb Wlaffen"
fitdjen, benen fie bient. (.I)ani3 Stitften in bet ,,@;bAMl). B'teifitdie", 9. &ug. 1936.}