an by that to which they more
immediately belonged." (12. 21.) Yet they, too, were absolutely
indifferent as to the Lutheran Symbols. Dr. C. F. Endress, a pupil of
Helmuth, a leading spirit in the Pennsylvania Ministerium and most
prominent in the unionistic transactions with the German Reformed
Church, declared his theological position as follows: "We have the
Formula Concordiae, in which expulsion, condemnation, anathema, were,
in the most liberal manner, pronounced and poured forth against all
those who were of a different opinion, which, however, thank God, was
never received universally by the Lutheran Church. I would suffer both
my hands to be burned off before I would subscribe that instrument." "As
we have hitherto received the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Catechism
and Melanchthon's Apology, so I have no objection that they should be
kept in reverence and respect as our peculiar documents, but not to
overrule the Bible. For by this shall the Lutheran Church forever
distinguish itself from all other religious connections, that the Bible,
the Bible alone, shall remain the only sun in Christ Jesus, and that we
rest upon human declarations of faith only in so far as they receive
their light more or less from that great light." "What shall I answer on
the question, What is the confession of faith of the Lutheran Church?
Answer: I will not dictate to you what you should say; but if I should
be asked, I would say, first, and principally, and solely, and alone:
The Holy Word of God contained in the writings of the prophets and
apostles. The confessions of faith by the Church of the first four
centuries we hold in conformity with the Bible, and receive them, as far
as I know, universally in the Lutheran Church. The confession of the
princes of the German Empire presented at the Diet of Augsburg is held
by all in honor and respect, and when we compare it with other human
confessions, we give it a decided preference. Luther's Catechism is used
in all Lutheran churches, and no catechism of other religious
denominations has that honor. The so-called Apology is in possession of
very few Lutheran ministers; but whether they have read it or not, they
consider it a good book. The Smalcald Articles I have often read. In
Germany they are taken up among the Symbols. I know not whether any
other divine in the Lutheran Church in America ever read it except
Muhlenberg and Lochman. In short, we hold firmly and steadfastly to our
be