President Pfotenhauer's Address to the 1917 Convention of The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States in Milwaukee

Rev. Johann Friedrich Pfotenhauer was the fifth president of the Missouri Synod and the last one who was born in Germany. He served as president from 1911-1935. 

Below is his address to the 1917 Synodical Convention. The convention was held June 20-29 in Milwaukee. You can find the Proceedings of the 1917 Convention here. Pfotenhauer's address was given in German, but the English translation is given below. 

Though given a little over a hundred years ago, the address is incredibly timely for our current situation--pestilence, wars and rumors of wars, the anniversary of the Reformation, the temptations of unionism and laxity. 

Pfotenhauer understood the dangers surrounding the Synod and directed the Christian men who were at the convention to cling to the treasure of the Gospel which they had received from the mercies of Christ.

Alas, it cannot be denied that in some respects we are not as our fathers were, that there has been a let-up in confessional definiteness and earnestness, in the love to God’s Word, in indoctrination, in the thorough instruction of the youth in the Catechism, and in the life of godliness. Oh, that we, as a synod might remain faithful and hold fast that which we have! Against us are the devil, the world, and our own evil flesh, as also the history of the Church, which shows that the Gospel did not continue in any one place for more than a few generations. For us are the mercy and grace of God, through which He, without our merit or worthiness, desires to retain among us the treasures of the Reformation.

It is certainly worth reading in full:

The Story of Our Church in America by Theodore Graebner

The Story of Our Church in America is a brief survey (33 pages) of the history of the Missouri Synod. While it is certainly not comprehensive, it offers a overview of the Missouri Synod's first 75 years. Of special note are the first three chapters which give a brief sketch of Lutheranism in North America before the founding of the Synod. Attention is given to the work of the Synod in education, publishing, and both home and foreign missions. The book has a wealth of pictures of the principle founders and leaders of the Synod as well as hand drawn maps that add a nice touch. Though originally published in 1922, the last chapter (of the version I have) includes an Addenda of supplementary material from 1932.

Thedore Graebner goes out of his way to thank a Mr. Bendix Taenzer of St. Louis, the artist of the maps. Graebner states that, "No such maps illustrating the history of American Lutheranism, and especially the work and development of our Synod, have ever been printed before." (The maps from the booklet are included as pictures below.) As a lover of maps myself, and a firm believer in their importance in teaching, I cannot help but echo Graebner's exhortation concerning their usefulness: "They deserve earnest study, and, once their meaning is well grasped, will deepen our realization of divine favors conferred upon our Church."

The Victory of the Cross: Chapters from the History of the Early Church by Theodore Graebner

Our Faith Victorious was published in 1913 by Ernst Kaufmann in New York and was printed in Germany. It sold for 25 cents a copy. The book is a summary of early church history by Theodore Graebner. Graebner was a prodigous writer, especially of popular books and tracts, who served as the Lutheran Witness editor for 35 years (1914 to 1949) as well as teaching at Concordia Seminary--St. Louis. 

Here is a brief review of the book in the Augustana Synod's periodical The Lutheran Companion (November 22, 1913). 

Zwingel Illustrated Bible History Timeline (Pictures of Artwork Included)

Recently, I was graciously given a box of Bible history maps by a parishioner's friend whose husband had been an Sunday School Superintendent for many years.

One of the maps was not actually a map at all. It was an illustrated Bible History Timeline. Or perhaps you would call it an Illustrated Biblical Chronology. Either way, it is an incredibly interesting and well done piece of educational art. The piece was made by Rev. Rudolph P. Zwingel, a Missouri Synod pastor whom I do not yet know much about.

"Dr. Francis Pieper the Churchman" by W.H.T Dau

In the October 1931 Concordia Theological Monthly, W.H.T. Dau wrote a moving tribute in honor of the Dr. Francis (Franz) Pieper, who had passed away that June. He begins his essay by quoting part of Pieper's address to the Missouri Synod's 1893 convention.

There is no such thing in the Christian Church as mere teaching; all teaching is to be reduced to practise. The Christian Church is not a philosophers' school, where only teaching is done, but a society of people who by faith in the Gospel and mortification of the flesh are traveling on the way to everlasting life and are commissioned to lead others into this way. 

Dau recalls that this essay gave the delegates confidence that Pieper was carrying on the confessionalism of Walther at the St. Louis Seminary, and noted that the convention would elect him to be the president of Synod 6 years later. Dau makes the point that according to Walther and Pieper, and in truth, teaching theology and administering practical affairs are by no means of a conflicting nature, but logically and necessarily connected. Dau further says:

Living with Luther by J. M. Weidenschilling

J.M. Weidenschilling was a master at summarization and brevity. He produced many short works on basic subjects for the Missouri Synod in the 1940's and 50's. Some of the most famous and widely used were: Our Bible; Our Church; and, Our Creed. Living with Luther is a slender 48 page booklet originally designed to be used in the classroom. It could also easily be used as an introduction or jumping off point for an adult study or a tract for anyone wanting a brief overview of the life of Martin Luther and the Reformation.

Living with Luther was published by Concordia Publishing House in 1945, was slightly revised in 1970, and reprinted numerous times. The illustrator was Gustav Koenig. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation also worked to have it translated into Lithuanian in 1996 (translator: Renata Ambrazeviciene).

Weidenschilling was working in the tradition of Gustav Just's Life of Luther to provide a concise, basic summary of Luther's life and introduction to the Reformation. The two works cover much of the same ground, often even in the exact same sequence and manner. The pictures in the older volume are again used in Weidenschilling's, though they are supplemented with additional illustrations.

Life of Luther: With Several Introductory and Concluding Chapters from General Church History by Gustav Just

Church History is a woefully neglected subject. All Christians, but children especially, should be taught their family history between Pentecost and today. It is a particularly modern bane to have such myopic and self-absorbed perspectives. Knowing and honoring your fathers in the faith goes a long way towards curing this disease.

Life of Luther is a slim little hardback volume that was a standard brief Church History appendix or addendum to the Bible History taught in Missouri Synod schools and homes. While not long enough for a year long class, it is an excellent window into Church History for children and their families. It was prepared by Gustav Just, a teacher at Bethlehem Ev. Lutheran School, St. Louis, and was translated into the German by M.S. Sommer and F.W. Herzberger, who are only referred to as "S. and H." Its wide use in the Synod is evidenced by its mention in synodical periodicals and model curricula...and the numerous copies which can be found in Missouri Synod church and home libraries to this day. There are also a plentiful amount of copies to be had for very cheap on Amazon and other sites.