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. This month we continue our look at F.K.D. Wyneken. The last few months we saw him as a city pastor in Baltimore where “taking a firm stand against unionism, laxity, and lodges [perhaps ‘the first pastor in America who publicly withstood secret orders and condemned their works of darkness’] he built up the congregation along the lines of confessional Lutheranism” (Concordia Cyclopedia, CPH 1927, pg. 829). This month we find him newly arrived to serve Trinity in St. Louis and in short order also elected president of the Missouri Synod. This is the first half of a look at his presidency.
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The Synodical President FRIEDRICH KONRAD DIETRICH WYNEKEN
The same year that Wyneken moved to St. Louis, he was also chosen as Synodical President—1850. It only took two years since he had joined the Synod for him to earn the trust of congregations of the Synod to confer this most important office upon him. During the three years for which he was elected he was not only obligated to preside at the synodical conferences and to carry out various very important duties, which he could do from where he lived, but it was also up to him during the same time “to visit every parish of the synodical circuit at least once.” By undertaking this very necessary and important office of overseer, Wyneken had practically become a “Superintendent”. This is something he had had already wished for in 1841. It was just that now his circuit was much larger than he had imagined earlier it could have been.
Since Wyneken had so many presidential duties, he was unable to continue to serve as pastor of Trinity in St. Louis in any capacity. Especially since he was suffering from great illness, he left this city in 1859 and moved with his family to his dear Adams County, Indiana where he spent the following winter in Pastor Jaebker’s congregation, for whom he occasionally preached. In the spring of 1860 he then moved into a small estate near Ft. Wayne which several wealthy friends had given him, and lived there until 1864. However, he still remained the Pastor of Trinity in St. Louis. Pastor G. Schaller, whom the congregation had already called in 1854, was only to be Wyneken’s vicar. They hoped to get Wyneken back again whether after a short or a long time.After the synod was divided into four districts, Wyneken was again elected in 1854, and now as “General President.” Although the synod had grown rapidly and the congregations were scattered far and wide in the United States and Canada, it was still the duty of the president to visit all parishes within three years; to examine congregations, pastors and schools, “if possible to preach a sermon in every congregation” and in addition “if it is desired, immediately to appear personally in any congregation of the Synod to eliminate problems that have entered.” Beside this, he was to visit the pastoral conferences and the gatherings of the district conventions and when desired to give “counsel and answer” etc. The Synod wanted a lot from its General President but Wyneken earnestly attempted to carry out these important duties and he did it so well and the Synod was so satisfied that it again elected him in 1857. But the Synod had grown so large by then that it was not possible for one man, even in the best of health and working most diligently, to visit every congregation, conference and district convention within three years. It was then decided that the prescribed visitations would take place within six years.
When the Synod’s Convention was held in Ft. Wayne in 1863, Wyneken’s great wish was to be relieved of the presidency. The excessive labors, the many travels, etc. made him old before his time. He longed for rest and needed it. Nevertheless he was moved by the requests of the Synod to hold this important office one more year. His wish was first fulfilled in 1864 when the Synod again chose Professor Walther as its General President and arranged the duties of president differently.
Thus for 14 years dear Wyneken held the exceedingly important office of Synodical President.
Not only do many of his letters (in particular those to the congregations of the Synod) testify as to how he regarded his office but also, and especially, so do the speeches and reports that he gave and presented at the opening of the general Synodical Conventions. They are and remain precious and powerful witnesses of the pure understanding, of the hearty love, of the great earnestness and zeal, of the thorough evangelical direction of our dear Wyneken. Whoever did not know him before reading the letters, will get an accurate picture of him.
He bravely testified more than just at synods; in congregational assemblies he testified against sins, against covetousness, gluttony, self-righteousness; he confessed and defended the truth; gave a death-blow to the Law’s oppression; showed, praised and helped evangelical freedom gain the victory; he revived the despondent, comforted the sorrowing and cast the great saints to the ground. With great and in fact with extremely great patience, he helped and restored the weak, the ignorant, and the fallen. He could do all this because he avoided either time or effort; neither heat nor frost. With mighty earnestness, though, he opposed the wise, the arrogant, the self-righteous, all wanton sinners. Here he was no respecter of the person. It was immaterial to him whether someone were rich or poor, honored or despised by the world. Each one got to hear the truth, which, according to Wyneken’s conviction and with his very great insight, was the most salutary and necessary for him at the time.The blessing that God had allowed to flow upon the entire Synod through him as long as he was president is not realized, much less described at this time. It is largely thanks to him that our Synod took the evangelical course, which now so favorably distinguishes it from many other church bodies. At synods, and conferences, in studies and in congregational assemblies he had a hundred-fold opportunity to warn against legalism, to point to and to urge evangelical practice. How often as Synodical President did he step up at Synodical conventions as a witness of God and, with few words, which were often firm but always powerful and effective, show the true objective, the right way! The Lord had placed him as His instrument into these numerous councils in order to have the word resound loudly and clearly; in order to give the American Lutheran church the eternal light of His word brightly and clearly.
This is also how he dealt with the pastors and school teachers. He readily recognized diligence, honest endeavoring, and weak temptations that succeeded; he was most willingly to excuse whatever was lacking due to weakness but he also earnestly rebuked all false oppression of the law in sermons, everything that unevangelical in the congregation’s government or in how it gathered monetary contributions, etc. He was a sharp, unwelcome president to the pastors who did not diligently study, who tyrannized the congregations, who made themselves like the world; but he was a comforter to the troubled, a support to the despondent, and an adviser to the afflicted. Almost all pastors and teachers who belonged to the synod at that time knew him from his visitations; he was in their houses, got to know their families; he knew their joys and sorrows, their struggles, defeats and victories. To all, with only very few exceptions, he was welcomed as a father; wherever they met with him, there was cordial, hearty joy on both sides. Except for the time of the Reformation, after the time of the Apostles never on earth was there truly such a bond founded on right faith and true love as there was between Wyneken and those of the Synod. I do not say that to honor any man improperly, not even Wyneken; I say that to honor our great God who gave us this precious man and who so richly blessed us through him.
Also most congregations that Wyneken visited as president remember him in greatest love and esteem. Of course in several places they were not happy to see him because he called the conditions he found by their right name and when it was necessary mercilessly exposed abuses. In general, though, he was welcome everywhere because even the one who was not so well advanced, who was still lacking knowledge, the doubtful, the suspicious, soon recognized that the man intended good, wanted only the proper benefit, namely, the eternal salvation of the congregation. They saw that he did not want to rule but only to serve.
Especially the older people soon felt themselves drawn to him and with joy told of the “old president” who spoke Low German with them, tapped them on the shoulder, took them by the hand and then soundly told them the truth, scolded them with mouth that also laughed and pushed a sting into their conscience. As long as there are people alive who saw the “old president” in their congregation’s assemblies and pulpit, it will be said of him: “he was a worthy servant of the great God and a faithful servant of his Synod.
He bravely took part in all the battles of the Synod. According to the kind of gifts that God gave him, he was always in the forefront in the Lord’s battle. He also always confessed the name of his Savior publicly, faithfully and bravely and willingly bore the disgrace that came to him on account of it.
In 1851 he travelled with Professor Walther to Germany. As representatives of the Synod, both tried to return Pastor W. Loehe, who until then was a friend and benefactor of the Synod, from his Romanizing and Judaizing errors. Loehe at that time published a deluxe edition of his Church News “In memory of the presence of reverend brothers, Walther and Wyneken, in Germany” and in it seemingly gave room to the hope that the earlier unity would be restored. But in fact the break was not healed in spite of all the work and effort both delegates used.
After both had returned, the old battle with Grabau broke out all the more strongly as well as the battle with the Iowans. By bearing witness both orally and in writing Wyneken strongly defended the divine truth, strengthened his fellow combatants and for his part helped defeat the opponents. Also in this regard he was a proper synodical president.
So far Professor Krauss
FROM OUR EASTERN DISTRICT: The LCMS Eastern District publishes weekly newsletters with information about things happening within the District and the Synod. In recent visits to congregations, there was an overwhelming request to know more about the District and ways it can serve our congregations. One of the best ways is for people to subscribe to the District’s electronic newsletters. They have been adding clergy as well as congregation officers, as they receive their contact information. However, these publications are open to anyone who is interested. If you would like to start receiving these publications, please contact Ruth Marzano at ruth.marzano@lcmsed.org.
IS OUR CHURCH SUCCESSFUL? “An effective church, a successful church, is one where the Word is taught and the Sacraments administered. The results of these instruments of God are left to the Holy Spirit. Our success as ministers or as churches is measured only by whether we consistently and purely teach this Word and rightly administer Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.”
Klemet Preus, The Fire and the Staff: Lutheran Theology in Practice, pg. 37 (St. Louis: CPH, 2004)
NEWS AND UPDATES
April has five Sundays this year and you know what that means—a FIFTH SUNDAY DINNER. Our Fifth Sunday Dinner will follow service on 29 April. Be sure to bring your favorite dish to share and enjoy some of the great cooking of your fellow members at Faith.
SUMMER SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY:
Our Sunday Morning Bible Class begins on 03 June at 9.45 sharp. This year we will begin a study of our synod’s new edition of Luther’s Small Catechism. The catechism part written by Luther is the same. The explanation following it is updated to have expanded discussions on contemporary issues that are pressing upon the Church and shed the light of God’s truth on these issues. Plan now on joining us each Sunday morning. As things look now, we will continue our studies in the fall.
CATECHISM REVIEW: Beginning 03 June we will begin the review of Luther’s Small Catechism during the Sunday morning service. The catechism can never be studied enough. It has in simple form the basic teachings of the Christian faith. We target our review of the catechism during the Sundays after Trinity because this is the half of the Church Year we focus in on our Lord’s teaching [the first half of the Church year has as its focus the life of our Lord]. We encourage you to take your bulletin home with you each week and use that portion of the catechism that we reviewed on Sunday as part of your devotions in your home.
REMEMBER: THE CHURCH STILL NEEDS YOUR OFFERINGS EVEN WHEN YOU ARE AWAY THIS SUMMER
ROGATE SUNDAY IS 06 MAY: “It is a blessed thing when the faithful soul in prayer fixes his uplifted eyes of faith on Jesus only; when he does not look about him to lay hold on his scattered thoughts, nor behind him at Satan who threatens him with the thought that his prayer is in vain, nor within him at his sloth and lack of devotion; but looks up to Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us.”
[Bo Giertz, Hammer of God, 203]
ASCENSION DAY IS 10 MAY—
In the following snippet from a lecture given by St. Cyril to those learning about the Christian faith, he makes an important point. He is pointing out the fact that Jesus is both true God and true man. During His earthly life, Jesus was in His state of humiliation—that means that as man Jesus did not always or fully use His divine powers. But beginning with His resurrection and descent into hell, Jesus is in His state of exaltation—that means that as man He now fully and always uses His divine powers. In other words, Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation affect His humanity; as God He is always the same, Hebrews 13.8. According to His eternal divinity, Jesus is unchangeable. Luther put it this way: “[Jesus] calls Himself the Son of Man who has His existence both on earth and in heaven simultaneously: {AE 22:321]. The great Missouri Synod theologian, Francis Pieper puts it this way: with the Ascension, Jesus “ascended to the throne of universal dominion according to His human nature” [Christian Dogmatics, II. Pg 326]. As true God Jesus always was on the throne of universal dominion—John 3.13; 6.38.
From St. Cyril of Jerusalem [315-386]: But remember also what I have often said concerning the Son’s sitting at the right hand of the Father; because of the next sentence in the Creed, which says, “and ascended into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father.” Let us not curiously pry into what is properly meant by the throne; for it is incomprehensible: but neither let us endure those who falsely say, that it was after His Cross and Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, that the Son began to sit on the right hand of the Father. For the Son gained not His throne by advancement; but throughout His being (and His being is by an eternal generation) He also sits together with the Father. And this throne the Prophet Isaiah having beheld before the incarnate coming of the Savior, says, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up… [Is. 6.1] For the Father no man hath seen at any time [John 1.18], and He who then appeared to the Prophet was the Son. The Psalmist also says, Thy throne is prepared of old; Thou art from everlasting [Psalm 93.2]. Though then the testimonies on this point are many, yet because of the lateness of the time, we will content ourselves even with these.
[Cyril of Jerusalem. The Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Kindle Locations 4445-4456). Kindle Edition]
PENTECOST IS 20 MAY. LUTHER NOTES FOR PENTECOST: “‘The Gospel has come near to you. In it and with it there has hovered over you and has been present and has offered to you the kingdom of Christ, that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with all their grace. ... This measuring, then, and the fact that the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all flesh mean this: through the Word the Holy Spirit has been offered to all men throughout the world. He hovers over them all and is present and ready to help them; the heavens are open as far as the world reaches; no place is excluded.” LW 20:182–83
SPRING HAS SPRUNG! THE FARMERS ARE GETTING INTO THEIR FIELDS TO PLANT THE CROPS. What can we learn theologically by seeing them hard at work?
The time has come for the sowing of earthly seed, of corn and of other things. We see men going forth to work from the end to the beginning of the night, taking all care that they may sow what is best and most productive, that the needs of the body may be supplied. And shall we, the husbandmen of spiritual seed, sleep our time away, and neglect to sow what we should? How then should we bear everlasting hunger? What excuse can we give for our idleness?
Let us awake, then, and sow more zealously and more plentifully than the sowers of natural seed! For he that sows sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he that sows blessings shall reap blessings? –Theodore of Studios, (759-826) [From The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism, CPH 2004, pg. 119]
WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR?
Now the husbandman prepares his plough and raising to heaven his eye and invoking Him from whose bounteous hand the fruits of harvest come, yokes his oxen, and cuts the pleasant furrow, while hope gladdens his heart. Now the shepherd and herdsman join their reeds, awake their pastoral lay, and enjoy the sweets of grove and grotto. Now the industrious bee, unfolding her wing, and quitting the hive, shows her marvelous wisdom, flies over the meadows, rifles the flowers of their sweets, works with her thighs at constructing the cells of hexagonal shape opposite to each other—straight lines and angles alternating—a work at once of beauty and strength. She lays up the honey in her repositories, and thus provides for him who provides her with shelter a sweet refraction for which he has not labored. O that we, the hive of Christ, would imitate such an example of industry. St. Basil of Caesarea, c. 330-79 [From The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism, CPH 2004, pg. 117]
OUR LITURGY AND HYMNS: The Divine Service is a tiny fragment of something else; it is a part of the worship which is offered to God by Christian people every hour of the day and night, in every part of the world. When you come here it is as if you were dropping in on a conversation already in progress—a conversation between God and His people that began long before you were born and a conversation that will continue long after you are dead. So, do not be surprised or disturbed if there are some things in the Divine Service that you do not understand right away. For a brief moment, you step into the continual stream of worship that is being offered today and will be offered to the end of time. You are one with those who worship here on earth and in heaven. [The Cathedral Church of Christ, A Guide to the Order of Worship]
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A VITAL ARTICLE FROM OUR SYNOD’S STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT:
Stewardship Newsletter Article: May 2018
St. Paul teaches, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches” (Galatians 6:6).
And again, he says, “Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:13–14).
But this deserves closer examination. For it instructs us not just that we are to give but also what we are to give. And it does so with four little words: “In the same way …”In other words, ministers of the gospel are supported by the offerings of those who are served by them. And this is how the Church lives even now. It is standard practice.
St. Paul is building his case for supporting the preachers of the Gospel with the sacrificial giving of individual members on the example of the Old Testament people who supported the Levites with their offerings and sacrifices.
We’re to support the Gospel ministry “in the same way.” But how did the Old Testament people support the Levites?
Moses records this: “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:22–23).
The Levites were supported by the tithe, 10 percent of all the yearly yield of that which was harvested.
Does that seem like a lot? Does it surprise you that St. Paul instructs us that we are to support the New Testament Gospel ministry “in the same way?”
If it does, ask yourself: is the Church’s job in the New Testament bigger or smaller than the Levites’ job in the Old Testament? Back then there was one Temple, and the ministry was almost exclusively located in one nation among the descendants of Abraham.
Jesus calls us to teach and baptize all nations (Matt. 28). And there are churches and ministries all around the world. How could we support this new Gospel ministry with anything less than the Israelites supported the Old Testament ministry?
Of course, we are free to give more, for we have received more than those in the Old Testament. We have received the fullness of God’s revelation, the fullness of His salvation, the fulfillment of everything that God promised to do.
For we have received Christ, God’s own Son, in the flesh, who took upon himself our sins and in exchange gave us his righteousness. The Father claimed us as his own in Holy Baptism.
He gathers us together in the place where his name dwells to feast on the first fruits of the resurrection, the risen and living body and blood of his Son, our Lord, Jesus. He reminds us that we are His, that all things are ours because we belong to Him. He blesses us here in time with physical and spiritual gifts.
In the same way, and in response to his fatherly divine goodness and mercy, we gladly give to those who proclaim to us “the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.”
For once we were not a people, but now we are God’s people; once we had not received mercy, but now we have indeed (1 Peter 2:9–10).
TRINITY SUNDAY IS 27 MAY THIS YEAR.
On this Sunday we boldly and proudly proclaim this main doctrine of Christianity—that there is one God but three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Please be sure to review this creed this week leading up to Trinity Sunday that you may boldly and with knowledge and feeling confess it on 27 May.
The Athanasian Creed
Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.
Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.
And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
just as there are not three Uncreated or three
Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.
In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty; and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.
The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.
Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.
But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age: perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ, who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.
This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.
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May 2018: Where there’s a Will, there’s a Way
When people have a resolve, intent or will to achieve a goal, you would think that, what follows is a plan and a path to accomplish the matter.
However, people have different ways to realize their aims or objectives. Some are aggressive in decision-making as initiative takers, driven to complete the various tasks of life. Others are more passive and many avoid doing what they know is important, or would prefer to complete.
Research shows us that 30-70% fail to plan for the inevitable, material implications associated with end of life. Whether with a last will and testament, trust, or specific asset titles/designations, typically, less than half of free citizens have managed the financial and relational risks associated with death.
Reasons seem understandable. Death isn’t fun to think about. After all, no one plans to die today! ‘We’d rather not do today, what we can put off until tomorrow.’ Besides, such decision planning takes more energy to cross this higher emotional threshold than some are willing to invest. Others aren’t aware of the implications of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ plan that the State has waiting them if they don’t.
Perhaps a will isn’t planned because the intent of a person’s heart isn’t clear? Fear and concern for self can keep one from knowing and planning the way of the baptized heart.
The biblical call to vocation for Christian stewards gives two imperatives: First, we are called to love God as life’s priority. Then, our calling is to love others as ourselves; the second priority. For most, these spiritual priorities completely break down at death.
Don’t fail to plan. Consider aligning your will to the priorities of God’s Word, so these values endure. What a blessing that our God has given us infinite kindness in our perfect Savior!
How can we encourage your will to reflect your way?
For more information, contact Robert Wirth, LCMS Foundation Gift Planner @ robert.wirth@lfnd.org or 716-863-4427.
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