of our church, arrayed during the
Quadricentennial as one, for the purposes of a spectacular celebration,
but each exalting some particularism of secondary value, adequately
represent the religious ideas which four centuries ago gave a new
impulse to the life of the world. If not, where does the trouble lie?
Is it a question of doctrine, of language, of organization or of spirit?

The emphasis we place upon doctrine has given us a reputation for
exclusiveness. The author believes that the spirit of Lutheranism is
that of catholicity. He holds that, in our relations with the people of
this city and with other churches we ought to emphasize the essential
and outstanding features of the Lutheran Church rather than the minute
distinctions which only the trained dogmatician can comprehend. He is in
sympathy with the well known plea of Rupertus Meldenius, an otherwise
unknown Lutheran theologian of the seventeenth century (about 1623), to
observe "in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things
charity."

Introduction

For the sake of non-Lutheran readers it may be well, in a sketch of the
story and problems of our churches, to present a short statement of
their principles and to indicate in what respect these differ from the
general attitude and beliefs of other churches. In doing so however the
author does not presume to encroach upon the field belonging to the
scholars of the church. He is not an expert theologian. What he has to
say upon this subject can only be taken as the opinion of a workaday
pastor who, in practical experience, has obtained an acquaintance with
the teachings of the church which it is his privilege to serve. For a
clearer understanding of disputed points the reader is referred to the
books of reference named in the Bibliography.

Many otherwise well-read people, while admitting that Lutherans are
Protestants, suspect that their system is still imbued with the leaven
of Romanism. In their classification of churches they are disposed to
place us among Ritualists, Sacerdotalists and Crypto-Romanists.

We do not expect to reverse at once the preference of most American
Protestants in favor of the Reformed system. But since we have had no
inconsiderable share in the shaping of modern history, we are confident
that our principles will in due time receive the consideration to which
any historical development is entitled. We would like to be understood,
or at least not to be misunderst