Dear friends in Christ,
We continue our survey of Church History from the book of Professor E.A.W. Krauss from our St. Louis seminary of a century ago. Before turning his attention to Lutheranism in what would become the United States, Professor Krauss spends a bit of time looking at a faithful preacher of God’s word who had some similarities with Martin Luther. It is fitting that, in this month in which we continue to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, we begin a look at a preacher who proclaimed that Easter message: that in the risen Christ we have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
42. 1—MARTIN BOOS, a preacher of the righteousness that avails before God
… I will now tell the reader about a man who in deed was bitterly and maliciously hated and persecuted both by the godless world and by Roman priests, but who until his end was not only a member of, but also a priest in the Roman Church; and on top of it all, he was a true preacher of the righteousness that avails before God.
“How is this possible?” The reader will ask. Only at the end will I answer this question.
But first I will show the evidence that Martin Boos really was a true, genuine Lutheran.
This is very clearly seen from a letter of 17 December in which
1. Boos describes how he was awakened to the life of faith
There he writes: “You call me a slow martyr. You are right; I am. In my youth my sins tortured me. For a long time I knew and recognized no other Savior from my sin other I myself. When I had later on found and believed in a Savior for my sins and for my soul, the consistories and the Jewish minded rabble tormented me and wanted to frighten, debate away, drive away, etc. my faith and my Redeemer from me; and this tragedy continues even to today. Besides that, come hell and my own evil, obstinate, foolish, frightened and despairing heart. It is a miracle that I am still alive; I feel alarmingly old although I am only 50 years old. I have (a fool speaks) expended tremendous amounts of energy to live a saintly life. For example, I laid for years, even in winter, on the cold floor, while the bed stood there right next to me; I whipped myself until I was bloody; I suffered hunger and gave my bread to the poor; I spent every spare hour under the arches of church and cathedral; I confessed and communed almost every week. I wanted to live by the might of my good works and good morals. But living indeed! With every act of holiness I fell all the deeper into selfishness, became increasingly sad, anxious, spiritless, etc. The saint always cried in his heart, ‘O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me?’ (Rom. 7.24) but no one answered him, ‘The grace of God through Jesus Christ.’ No one gave the patient the medicine, ‘The just shall live by faith’ [Rom. 1.17]; but when it was finally given to me and I was better, the whole world came against me with all its learning and high spiritual authority and wanted to make me believe that I had eaten poison, spewed forth poison and poisoned everything. I had to be hanged, drowned, locked up, hunted down, burned, etc. I know of no person who is more timid and shy than I myself am; after all, to the world I am a terrible and repulsive coward. I would gladly have been remarkably quiet, unknown and not famous; I am more famous than Sch…h… in Bavaria and Austria. Behold, this is, in short, my life. When I am dead, I want say to the world: I send it my regards and I have no other medicine to give it than this: ‘The just shall live by faith.’ This helped me and others; but I cannot help it that the world did not trust me and my medicine. I would have remained longer in the belief that a person justifies and saves himself, if had I not found in an old writing that we are righteous and saved for Christ’s sake, by grace, without earning it. And in this faith I will also die. However, if this bridge does not suit you, you can wade with your own feet through the ocean and see whether or not you will drown. This is what you may say to the world after my death.”
When reading this precious letter who will not immediately think of another Martin, who 300 years earlier in his cloister cell in Erfurt and after his trip to Rome had fought the exact same battle, having received the same faith, and afterwards having experienced the same opposition and hatred of the world and in the end left behind the same testament to his followers? And who will not be eager to get better acquainted with the much less known account of this newer Martin? Let us then hear…
2. The Account of Boos’ Childhood
Martin Boos was born 25 December 1762 at 12 o’clock at night in Huttenried on the border of upper Bavaria and Swabia.
His parents were well-to-do agricultural people who were able to keep twenty cows and four horses.
Martin was the fourteenth of sixteen siblings. When he was four, both his parents died in a span of fourteen days. His entire life he could not remember what they looked like. They died of a disease that was rampant throughout the whole country snatching away many people.
There were twelve orphaned children in that house. The oldest sister was about 18 years old, so the orphans were divided among the closest relatives.
His oldest sister carried Martin on her back on Pentecost Monday to Augsburg and brought him to his uncle, the “spiritual counselor,” Koegel. On the trip she became so tired under the weight of her load, that she put Martin into a field of grain, had him lie down and went to Augsburg alone. Deserted, Martin cried but finally fell asleep gently in the bed of grain. About four in the afternoon his sister collected him, brought him to Augsburg, presented him to his uncle and asked him if he would like to take him in and adopt him.
Martin absolutely did not want to stay in Augsburg, as if he knew that one day he would have to suffer a great deal there. He wanted to go home with his sister instead. On the third day his sister left very early without saying good-bye to him, and then, of course, he had to stay where she had brought and placed him. When Martin was about eight years old, his uncle sent him to school where he learned to read and write.
After attending this school a few years, he had asked his uncle for his school fees. But the uncle said to Martin: “Here, you! Now you must leave school and learn a trade. What do you want to become?” In reply Martin answered, “I want to become a priest.” His uncle said, “Indeed! You want to become a priest? You have neither talent nor money for that.” That hurt Martin. Yet his uncle told him to come to him after dinner and he would give him a letter for his teacher to find out how and what he learned.
The old teacher gave him the best report: that of 300 students he was the most diligent and the most excellent in the beginning fundamentals of Latin, and that it would be a sin and a shame if he did not let Martin continue in his studies.
Martin had secretly learned the beginning essentials of Latin, without saying anything of it to his uncle, whom he feared.
When Martin brought home the good report of his teacher and his uncle had read it, he said to him: “Now your school teacher gives you a good report. I will put you to the test and let you study. But, if in the future, it is any different than it is now, you will then have to become a shoemaker.”
Now Martin was even more diligent than before. He studied and prayed day and night that the dear God would still help him toward his goal.
He then went to the Ex-Jesuit School (as the Jesuits were called who, after their order was abolished, still lived together according to Loyola’s Rule and worked as he intended, also as teachers), where he studied in the lower classes for five years and made good progress. He then studied logic at the secondary school.
Martin was to carry on his university studies with the Ex-Jesuits in Dillingen. His uncle considered it a dangerous and evil place where young people could easily lose their faith. His uncle could not stand the Ex-Jesuits because he knew that they were only disguised Jesuits and were hostile to everyone who insisted on a godly life in Christ Jesus. At that time were several professors in Dillingen who did that. “Martin,” the Jesuits had said to Boos, “we will get you the best private tutor position in Augsburg if you remain with us. You will have not have to ask your uncle to support you or for what he wants.” But Martin Boos knew the Fourth Commandment better than the Jesuits did and told this to his uncle. He also told him that these spiritual lords did not want to give him his credentials. His uncle became extremely angry and said, “Now go back to them once more and tell them that they should give you your credentials and if they won’t I know how to do it by force.” Then they gave him the best credentials.
The next morning Martin departed with his credentials to Dillingen. Here he studied physics and metaphysics with great diligence and then was admitted into the Alumnat [convent school] where he could study theology for free.
He returned to Augsburg to his uncle during vacation and for the first time in his life his uncle praised him: “This year you gave me joy. The Director of the Seminary had already written to me telling me how well you conducted yourself.”
Martin then studied theology four years as Alumnus [student] in Dillingen. Immediately at the beginning of the first year he took “the four minor orders” and in his second year, around Easter, the Subdeacon. But he had become sick and the fever first left him eight days before Pentecost. He was neither able nor allowed to study during the illness. But because his uncle wanted him to become a “priest” the following fall, he still went to Augsburg with the other students for the exams. He passed them with flying colors although he and his uncle trembled because he hadn’t been able to do anything from Easter to Pentecost. When one day during lunch asked his uncle whether he should indeed be ordained, the uncle answered, “Why not? As I hear, you did the best in the exams.”
The following fall, Boos was ordained a priest.
There were 500 guests, more than 30 clergy, at his first mass. All this was not for Martin’s honor but for his uncle. The 70-year-old man was so delighted that he provided target shooting for 3 days. Boos, who was serious, hardly found great pleasure in that.
Then Martin had to return to Dillingen to the seminary to complete his studies. Finally he went to Pfaffenhausen in the general seminary seven weeks.
From here he went as a chaplain to Unterthingau, a small market town near Kempten.
And with that begins his work in Bavaria [which we will pick up next month]
So far Professor Krauss
LWML NEWS:
Hello Ladies. We finished with the quilts. Thanks to all who helped. I am sure they will be well used. It was fun making them and now we are ready to move to something new. We have a meeting coming up April 24th. I hope to see all you ladies there.
Have a great and happy month. God Bless,
Carol, pres.
YOUR GIFTS AND OFFERINGS AT WORK IN WORKS OF MERCY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND LOCALLY
Sunday School News
We have taken care of the Heifer Fund. The children had $260.00 to work with.
Here is a list of items they choose: 1 Biogas Stove for a Village, 1 Share of Water Buffalo, 3 Shares of a Goat, 1 Rock of Hope, 1 Flock of Chicks 2 share of a Llama, and $35.00 to use where most needed. Thank you all for your help with this project, I am sure all will be greatly appreciated. Thanks to you all again as you and our Sunday School were able to show mercy.
OUR BABY BOTTLE DRIVE: This year we collected $303. The Pregnancy Resource Center of the Valleys in Bath will use it in their efforts to save the unborn. They are planning on expanding to a location in Corning. This is a vital step since the Corning Planned Parenthood office is also looking to expand this year.
EASTER THOUGHT: “Jesus’ Easter words pick you up, pull you on, set you going into the living and doing of the words and the carrying of their message. In the living and doing of His words, Jesus meets you with the message of ‘Be glad. Rejoice.’ No more fear of living and of dying. You go now, you live now, you tell now: Jesus crucified for you and risen for you. That is now where you live, where that is so, in His kingdom. Therefore, ‘Do not be afraid.’ There is now nothing in all the world that you can be more sure of than Jesus crucified for you, risen for you. ‘Ain’t no grave gonna hold this body down.’” –Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel, pg. 120.
As we celebrate Easter, it is good to remember that the saints in the Old Testament times looked forward in faith to the coming Messiah’s resurrection from the dead. Here in Psalm 16, the beautiful psalm we use at Easter, is David’s beautiful prophecy and confession of faith in Jesus’ resurrection.
For You will not abandon my soul to death, nor let Your Holy One see corruption.
[Psalm 16:10]
What a conviction! What a certainty of faith David here lets be known! God will not leave him in death. We, too, can have this conviction! But we must yet look a little more precisely. Peter [Acts 2] and Paul [Acts 13] show us that here David is speaking prophetically. David died and rotten in his grace. Therefore it is clear that he is speaking here of Someone else. In the history of the world there is only one Person Who indeed died but never decayed because three days after His death He again became alive. Because He as the Son of God had the power to take back His life again [John 10.18]: Jesus Christ.
The 16th Psalm is clearly a Messianic Psalm. Here Christ is being talked about, or better put: Christ Himself is speaking here. Spurred on by the Holy Spirit David could prophesy the resurrection of our Savior. What is most breath-taking in the whole matter is: we can make this psalm our prayer. We will certainly decay in our graves but because Christ fulfilled the prophecy of His resurrection, God will not abandon us in death. The preservation from decay is reserved for Christ. The preservation from death and hell is certain to all who cling to the Victor over death.
And so it is actually a unique conviction of faith which David testifies to in this psalm: The Lord is his unique portion [v.5]. He knows nothing better in the whole world [v.2]. Such trust in God rejoices [v.9]. Because our Savior rose and lives, we now know the way to eternal life and may joyfully say with David: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” [v.11]
Lord Christ, I thank You that You will not leave me in death. Amen.
[Pr. Michael Mueller in God Is For Us, 23 August 2015]
EASTER PRAYERS AND PRAISES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Eternal Joy
Let the heavens rejoice, the earth cheer; Let the whole world, the invisible and invisible, celebrate because Christ is risen.
Everything is now filled with light: heaven, earth and what is under the earth. May the whole creation celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, in whom its life is grounded.
We celebrate the killing of death, the destruction of hell and the beginning of the other, the eternal, life. And we jubilantly praise the Author, the God of the fathers Who alone is praised and Who is exalted over all.
Truly holy and full of joy is the night that brings salvation and through which the light shines, the herald of the rays of light of the day of the resurrection; the night in which the eternal Light from gleams from the grave for all.
This glorious and holy day, the king and lord of the Sabbaths, is the festival of all festivals and the celebration of all celebrations—let us praise Christ forever.
[From the Greek Easter liturgy]
Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me
My elect Lord and leader of salvation,
Victor over the kingdom of death,
You rescued Your creature from eternal destruction:
Thanks and praise to You!
You are of untold mercy,
You have freed me out of every distress!
I call to You:
Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on Me!
Jesus—eternal God,
Jesus—almighty King,
Jesus—patient Lord,
Jesus—merciful Savior:
Cleanse me of my sins,
Forgive my trespasses,
Take my guilt from me.
My Hope—do not forsake me,
My Help—do not desert me,
My Creator—do not forget me,
My Shepherd—do not let me perish.
Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.
[From the liturgy of the Russian-Orthodox Church]
FOR APRIL FOOLS:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1.18
Whoever wants to receive honor in this world and to be held as wise and intelligent can hardly become a Christian. Instead, the Apostle Paul says: “If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise” (1 Cor. 3.18). Thus for the world, a Christian and a fool is one and the same.
But before God and His angels Christians are the truly wise ones. The day is coming when also the world will recognize the wisdom of the children of God. Why are they wise? Because they have a Savior who bore their sins, paid their debt, satisfied God in their place, with His blood of reconciliation crossed out their letter of debt and obtained for them righteousness, life and blessedness.
Whoever flees to Him is God’s dear child. Whoever makes himself His friend also has God as Friend. Therefore Christ Himself says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” [John 5.24].
Dear God, make us wise through faith in Christ, Your Son and our Lord. Amen.
--C.F.W. Walther
THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER IS CALLED “GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY” BECAUSE THE READINGS FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” [John 10.11]
When Our Lord Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd,” He means, “I am, and want to be, your only helper against the wolf, death, and the devil.” That’s why you must let go of trusting in a pious way of life and learn to place faith alone in him who says, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” Our Good Shepherd does not flee from the wolf. He would sooner allow himself to be torn by the wolf than to permit the wolf to devour one little sheep. Therefore, we must look to Him alone in such circumstances and cling to Him. We need to hold on to truth in faith. We can add nothing to it. Rather He, the Good Shepherd, Our Lord Jesus Christ, has done and accomplished it all. [Luther]
THE GOSPEL READINGS FROM THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER, 17 APRIL, TO PENTECOST, 15 MAY, ALL COME FROM JESUS’ FAREWELL DISCOURSE IN JOHN 14-16. IT IS HELPFUL TO READ ALL OUR LORD’S WORDS AT HOME DURING THESE WEEKS.
Luther notes: This is “certainly the best and most comforting sermon which our Lord Christ gave on earth…For in it are the loveliest, most pleasant comforts and sweetest words of our faithful dear Savior Christ… Besides that, the truly foremost high articles of Christian doctrine are also most mightily… fixed and established in it. Thus also from antiquity almost all three of these chapters are spread out in the Gospel readings between Pentecost and Easter.” [49, 6—cited in Magazin… VI, pg. 149]
169 YEARS AGO ON 26 APRIL IN CHICAGO OUR MISSOURI SYNOD WAS FORMED
A MISSIONARY CHURCH
“Mission is the life breath of the Church,” it was once formulated. A few “professional” missionaries are not enough. A church whose members are not engaged in missions soon ceases to exist.
An amazing example of a missionary church is the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, founded over 160 years ago in North America by twelve congregations who joined together into a synod on 26 April 1847 in Chicago. A portion of them had previously come with Pastor Martin Stephan with the “Exodus of the eight hundred” from Saxony to Missouri. Others, in close association with Pastor Wilhelm Loehe (from Neuendettelsau, Bavaria) had founded Lutheran congregations in Michigan. They all continued speaking their native German, the language of the Lutheran Reformation.
It was their concern to be able to better help, by synodical co-operation, the German immigrants, of which there was a large number in the middle of the 19th century. Since the American northeast was already heavily settled by this time, many new arrivals went further west. Here the state of Missouri with its main city, St. Louis, “the gateway to the west,” played an important role. Here the Missouri Synod founded “Concordia Seminary” for the formation of pastors, and its own publisher, “Concordia Publishing House.”
Already in 1844/45 Professor C.F.W. Walther, the leader of the synod, published a periodical for the church with the title “Der Lutheraner” [“The Lutheran”]. With it he wanted to provide the many German immigrants with sound biblical doctrine and bring them up close to the treasures of the Lutheran Confessions. “Der Lutheraner” found many open ears. And so the Missouri Synod grew. Soon it was represented in all US states. Besides the work of publicity (in 1924 it started in St. Louis the first church radio station), it was above all the many schools of the congregations which continually brought children and families in contact with the Church and the Gospel.
English has already been the language of the Missouri Synod. From the twelve congregations at the beginning, there were 4800 at its 100th anniversary in 1947. Today 2.1 million people belong to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, making it the second largest Lutheran church body in North America. [Gottfried Herrmann, 2007]
SUMMER SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY:
This summer before service, we will try to do the impossible and study the entire book of Daniel. The twelve chapters allow us a quick overview of one chapter for each of the approximately twelve weeks we have this summer. It is a tie in with last summer when we studied the books of the Apocrypha—because some of the books of the Apocrypha deal with Daniel and his time period—and it ties in with our main year-long study of Revelation. Our anticipated start date is 05 June and ending 04 September. Plan now on joining us this summer.
From our Missouri Synod--Stewardship Newsletter Article
The greatest surprise about Easter is not that Jesus is alive, risen from the dead, out of the grave, that He conquered death and hell, and comes to meet you as He promised. The greatest surprise is that He did all that and is not angry. There is no fear for us in His return because He is not angry. He bears no grudge. He seeks no vengeance. He comes to give peace, with mercy and forgiveness and salvation.
Jesus lives and is not angry. Imagine that. He is not angry. He doesn’t blame those who killed Him. He doesn’t blame you. For no one takes His life from Him. He lays it down of His own accord. He gives Himself into death to win us back from sin, death, and hell. He does it willingly without coercion. He does it sacrificially, Him for us. He gave what was His to give. Thus His petition to the Father from the cross, “Forgive them” is granted to you in His resurrection. He comes alive out of death to forgive and to give His life to you.
There is nothing to be afraid of because Jesus is raised from the dead and is not angry. Thus we are free—free from worrying about how to make it up to Him, and free to give as He has given to us. He gave Himself as a gift, His life in exchange for our death, willingly and sacrificially. And so it is that we are now free to give in like manner: willingly, sacrificially, with what we have been given.
We give to the church because it is in the church where our eyes have seen and our ears have heard that Jesus lives and is not angry. It is here where we learn of God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ. It is here where we continually receive that message of life, where He visits us to give peace, with mercy and forgiveness and salvation.
So do not be afraid. Jesus lives, and He is not angry. The sacrifice has been made. The debt is canceled and forgotten. Righteousness is declared. Jesus lives. He lives, and He is not angry. You are restored. You are reconciled to the Father in the Son. Your future is assured: Jesus lives. It is not just death and Hell, the devil and his demons, that are undone. Your sins, your fear are undone. They are gone, forgotten, destroyed. Jesus lives. Hallelujah! Jesus lives. And because He lives, you are just. You are right with God, pleasing and delightful to Him. You are forgiven, clean, pure, holy, and filled with His good works and with His Name. He is not angry. He is glad to have you. He wants you. He loves you. He gave everything that is His to and for you, willingly and sacrificially. In faith and trust in Him, let us do likewise.
CROSS DEFENSE on your Lutheran Radio Station Worldwide KFUO.org. When people ask you tough questions about your faith, are you prepared to respond? Join us as we look at the Apologetic of Creation vs. Theistic Evolution on Monday, March 28th @ 2pm Central Time. Archived at KFUO.org. Follow us on Facebook.com/KFUOradio.
HIS TIME --- on your Lutheran Radio Station Worldwide KFUO.org. Start your day by sanctifying it with the Word of God and prayer. Based on God’s time in the Church Year, we feast on God’s Word in daily Scripture readings and interview guests on various topics vital to your daily life. Weekdays from 7:15-9:30am Central Time. Find it at kfuo.org and Facebook.com/KFUOradio.
FROM THE LCMS FOUNDATION
‘Smart’ Planning Gives Twice
Being smart has both spiritual and temporal dimensions. Intelligence from faith often produces an outcome different from worldly intelligence. Christian stewards recognize that they are not owners but managers, called to protect property and provide for people under their care so it/they flourish to the potential and purpose intended by the Creator.
Intelligence in the temporal dimension usually reflects natural laws. People tend to focus on their own blood relations, where emotional and physical connections exist. Modern laws of property distribution follow the logic of ancient laws to give property ‘through the bloodline’ using Latin words like ‘per stirpes.’ Under the law, being smart follows such logic. Family members are the natural objects of bounty, so most people limit estate planning decisions to benefit their own families.
The intelligence of faith comes from a person’s soul and spirit, and informs a person’s physical connections. Being aware of our “faith smarts” involves how a concern for others, even the least of these, is remembered in planning.
A Christian’s motivation flows from their baptism; from Christ’s redemption from sin and eternal death. God’s Word tells us that such grace is a gift of God. It results in spiritual intelligence - in listening to God’s calling to serve others and to be generous for the purpose of advancing Christ’s kingdom.
Current tax laws encourage a smart planner to explore ways to conserve tax shrinkage in property transfers. These laws give incentives to charitable gift planning through estate and income tax deductions. Thus, even though our laws don’t require such sharing, public policy confirms that generosity makes our world better.
Whether smart planning remembers family or ministry or both, intelligence that plans with both the heart and the mind can be how God blesses the people we love and ministries we care about.
For more information, contact Robert Wirth, LCMS Foundation Gift Planner @ robert.wirth@lfnd.org or 716-863-4427.
www.lcmsfoundation.org 800-325-7912 Ext 1684
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