We have already spoken of Keyl's effectiveness as a preacher in the previous chapters, and we know that he was a great blessing. But if we were to leave it at that, we would still be far from knowing the untiring zeal and diligence of this dear man in learning and teaching, in receiving and giving, in collecting and distributing; nor would we really recognize whether he was a truly orthodox, a genuinely Lutheran preacher and theologian. Our purpose in this chapter is therefore to show from which sources Keyl drew his theology and what its nature was. For the nature of the sources from which a preacher draws his theology is also the nature of his teaching. The blessed Keyl wrote the following words to a fellow minister in this regard, which are worth taking to heart:
"If we want to have pure doctrine again, we must study it diligently, and from pure sources, not from muddy waters; only then can we preach it correctly in churches and schools, and in all the functions of our ministry. Pure doctrine is a leaven that permeates every grain of Scripture interpretation and catechism explanation and all functions of the preaching ministry. Let us make a trial with a Gospel and with a piece of the Catechism, and it will be seen whether, as our Confession says, we have pure doctrine in rebus and phrasibus (in substance and expression) or not. The pure doctrine is like the temple of God with its foundation, superstructure, and interior ornaments and utensils - all according to the model that God himself has given; if one stone were taken out, the whole building would collapse. The pure doctrine is like a ring, like a golden chain of grace; no link can be taken out without damaging the whole." *) (*) Letter dated July 1, 1852)
If we now want to find out whether Keyl was a pure and orthodox theologian, we must, according to his own words, search for the sources from which he drew his theology. But it is an incontrovertible fact that he drew his theology from the incomparable spiritual treasures of Luther, in addition to the Holy Scriptures. The study of Luther became his life's work. For a whole thirty years he devoted every moment he could spare to the study of Luther; and he never went to bed in the evening, even when it was far past midnight, until he had read a few pages of Luther. But he did not merely read Luther; but what he found in the writings of the same on any point of doctrine, administration, history, etc., he read. He "registered" what he found in Luther's writings on any point of doctrine, administration, history, etc., so that he gradually compiled a whole series of large quarto volumes full of strictly ordered excerpts from Luther's writings.
But do not think that his study of Luther was his so-called hobbyhorse, which he rode out of purely natural preference - oh no! One learns to judge it quite differently when one considers that he was driven into Luther's writings by severe spiritual temptations. The thoughtful reader will have realized something of the severity of his trials when reading the 3rd and 4th chapters of our narrative. They were, as it were, the aftermath of his sinful attachment to Stephen and its sad consequences. Alarmed by Stephen's fall, Keyl realized the dangerous paths he had taken, following Stephen's advice and example, and that he had also plunged his own confessors into the greatest spiritual danger. Seized by severe temptations, he sank into deep melancholy. Violent battles stormed through his soul. He went mad about himself and his entire ministry. He felt as if he had been abandoned by the Spirit of God, as if he had been cast out by God; he did not know what he should preach anymore; he felt as if he had preached himself completely out and empty. As clearly as this anguish of soul bore witness to the fact that, despite all his aberrations, he had remained a child of God - for God only allows his dear children to fall into such tribulations in order to purify them - it also became the reason why he henceforth took refuge in Luther's writings, next to the Holy Scriptures, and made them the main object of his study.
He had also read something by Luther earlier, but without any noticeable benefit. He writes about this: "As a student, I had already made excerpts from Freilinghausen's Grundlegung der Theologie (namely from the quotations from Luther's writings provided by Freilinghausen), and I also got to know Salzmann's speeches by Luther. I also got Luther's works, Walch's edition, and needed them too, but not as much as later. Luther's treasures remained hidden from me, although I had them in his books in my hands." *) (*) Diary, year 1856.)
Of the time when Keyl was driven into Luther's writings by inner temptations, he writes in another place: "I will also never forget the impression that a passage from Cölius' funeral sermon made on me at that time. After he had said of Luther that he had walked in the spirit and power of Elijah, and had proclaimed the words of Elisha over him: 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its riders', he then continued: 'But we should also not refrain from reaching with Elisha for the mantle of this Elijah, which are his books, which he wrote by inspiration of God's spirit and left behind him, so that we may also receive his spirit from them. For though he died in his body, he lives in his spirit and in his books; he will also, God willing, be the death of the pope with his writings after his death, just as he was his pestilence during his life, and may we therefore now hold to these same books, love and value them, which point us to the Holy Scriptures, and thank God for them." And soon afterwards, Keyl continues: "At that time, God also placed a heavy house cross on me so that I should also practice the third requirement of a theologian, namely, in addition to oratio (prayer) and meditatio (study), also tentatio (contention). Then I learned how true the dear Elector Johann Friedrich had spoken during his imprisonment when he said to his court preacher Aurifaber, as he often did, that Dr. Luther's books were heartfelt, went through the marrow and bone and had a rich spirit in them. For if he were to read a volume of other theologians' writings and hold only one leaf of Luther's against it, he would find more juice and strength and also more comfort in it than in whole volumes of other writers." *) (*) Lutherophilus, 1854, p. 6.)
Whereas our dear Keyl had previously, caught up in great deception, thought that he was teaching and acting in a genuinely Lutheran way when he followed Stephen's process meticulously, he now made the saying of the old Altorf theologian Sonntag his motto: "The closer to Luther, <pages 103> the better a theologian." He not only said with the superintendent Catenhusen: "We must go back to Luther", but: "We must go back into Luther, through Luther." (*) (*) Letter of 1853.) He practiced this literally; he not only went back to Luther, but he also worked his way into and through Luther's writings in a way that very few before him (perhaps Anton Corvin, Veit Dietrich, Hieronymus Weller and several others) have done, and as probably even fewer will do after him.
One can have different opinions about the manner of studying Luther as practiced by Keyl, who not only appropriated Luther's thoughts, but also adhered exactly to Luther's words in his sermons. Quite apart from the fact that not every preacher would be able to use Luther in Keyl's way, because he lacks the gifts, strength, time and whatever else is required: it could also be debated whether Keyl's way is the most suitable, the most appropriate, the most fruitful and therefore the most recommendable. Well understood: we are speaking only of the manner of Luther's study; for if we were speaking of the study of Luther himself, we would say, without a moment's reflection, that it is, next to the Holy Scriptures, the most necessary, most useful, most fruitful, and most blessed study. But since we are only speaking of Keyl's way of studying Luther, it does not occur to us to pass judgment on it, because we have no vocation to do so and because the purpose of our work does not require it. Our task is only to report what our blessed friend has done in this respect, and after careful consideration we say the following:
It is indisputably certain that Keyl's work on the study of Luther must be called an astonishingly great one. Only those who have inspected the whole pile of large quarto volumes filled with quotations from Luther's writings and looked around a little can have any idea of the size of this work. They can be compared to a well-equipped apothecary; for in them one finds something from Luther's writings for all cases occurring in the preaching office and on all conceivable subjects in theology, and in such an arrangement that it can be found with little effort. We will only give a small sample from his written quotations. We shall, however, omit the numbers indicating the volume and the pages in Luther and instead make a dash. The volume from which we take this sample is entitled: "Pastoral theology." It says:
Preaching ministry in general. Its institution - glory - necessity - benefit -
Best administration of the same with regard to teaching - Various offices belonging to it, as: Teaching - Exhorting - Nurturing - Defense -
Teaching in general - namely what should be taught and how - preservation and defense of the right doctrine -
On doctrine in particular - On the right division of the word - Law and gospel - Repentance and grace -
Of the Law and Gospel in particular - Individual pieces of doctrine to be practiced - namely according to the main parts of the Catechism -
The penal office and its exercise -
On the right way of teaching and what belongs to it - parables - examples - polemics -
Individual things to do and avoid -
Which biblical books are to be taught in particular - Of behavior towards all kinds of persons - persistently erring - seducers - with the less courageous - the weak - the strong - with the afflicted - the afflicted in general - with those afflicted by the devil - the possessed - with the sick in general - especially in times of plague - preparation for death - especially criminals. -
So much for a sample. Unfortunately, we must confess that the manuscript is such that it makes one's head spin. But as for the work itself that Keyl has done on the study of Luther, we must confess that we would shy away from it a hundred times before we would dare to lay our hands on it even once. It is indeed heroic work, which therefore not everyone can and should do in the way and to the extent that Keyl has done it, unless he felt a special urge and drive to do so and was equipped with the gift and strength necessary for such work. What iron diligence and what untiring perseverance was required to accomplish such astonishing and almost unprecedented work, besides the many official duties which Keyl had to perform in Milwaukee and Baltimore! It required an energetic character, a strong will, a good physical constitution and a talent for order that is rarely bestowed on anyone.
Furthermore, it cannot be denied that it was a very good and excellent move that our dear Keyl made when, after those sad experiences in Stephanism and after the subsequent temptations in which he had gone astray in himself and in his entire ministry, he reached for Luther's writings and not only sought comfort for his burdened soul in them, but from now on also drew his theology from them and shared it with his listeners in his sermons and speeches. Had he bitterly regretted having entrusted himself to an untested leader in his earlier inexperience: how could he now, as one who had become wise through harm, have taken a safer path than by choosing Luther as his guide and role model, whom he could support and trust everywhere without worry? Admittedly, Luther could also have erred once; but then his whole confession proves that such error does not violate the truth that leads to salvation, that it is therefore not connected with any danger to the soul. For in Luther everything is sound with regard to doctrine. Nothing lives in his writings but the full original Gospel. Even where he demonstrably erred in the judgment of certain cases or in chronological matters, he was always guided by the guiding principle of faith and godliness. And this remains eternally true: a Christian who makes Luther his pastor receives that precious thing, a firm heart, and experiences something of the divine consolation with which Luther was comforted and with which he was able to comfort others so incomparably and inexpressibly; and a preacher who draws his theology from Luther in Christian simplicity receives a clarity, certainty and firmness in doctrine that is not attained through the study of other human books, even those that are tested. Even in private pastoral care, in the judgment of difficult cases, etc., a diligent student of Luther will gain such practice that he will not easily stray from the guiding principle of faith and godliness. For no one among all godly teachers knows how to divide the word of truth, law and gospel, as well as Luther, and it is precisely this holy art that makes him so skillful in getting it right in all matters. Is it not therefore to be highly praised that the blessed Keyl of his time chose the thousandfold tried and tested heroic leader Luther as his teacher, counselor and model? O certainly! And he could do so all the more because the words of old Eberlen also apply to him, who says: "If you are led by God into the hell of temptation and out again to heaven, that the world, even the devil, may find God's power in you; then you may act like Luther and others." *) (*) Löhe, Evangel. Geistl., vol. 2, p. 30.) Our blessed Keyl had also been led by God into the hell of temptation and out again to heaven, which is why he was also able to "bear witness", that is, to speak like the dear Luther.
Furthermore, it should not be concealed that Keyl's approach to the study of Luther inspired many preachers to emulate him. His essays published in the earlier volumes of "Lutheraner" and "Lehre und Wehre", the publication of his "Catechism Explanation from Dr. Luther's Writings and the Symbolic Books", his "Draft Sermons on the Sunday and Feast Day Gospels from Dr. Luther's Sermons and Interpretations", and his "Lutherophilus", a journal published in 1854, - have also been of great blessing in this respect, in that many have been stimulated to study Luther diligently. Likewise, in many letters addressed to fellow ministers, of which a large number of copies are in our hands, he encouraged the diligent study of Luther with very warm words, and tried to show them how one could begin and cultivate a fruitful study of Luther even with less talent and little time. For example, he wrote to a young preacher:
"I am glad to hear that people are now again encouraging the diligent study of Luther. It does not satisfy me, however, if one only (that I say so) recommends the study of Luther in general, and places the chosen armor of God only above, but not above all later teachers. I can only recommend a detailed study of Luther. I would assume three degrees: 1. that Luther's sermons, of which there are so many, be studied and used exclusively; 2. that individual writings of Luther be studied; and 3. that the whole of Luther be studied. You can soon attain the first degree. For the second you have no time now, because you must keep school; but something can be done if you read daily from Luther's writings in your home devotions, e.g. from the excellent Sermon on the Mount and the like. The third degree is achieved by dividing all of Luther's writings into three or more courses, the first of which contains the shortest and yet most complete writings, the second the more extensive, and the third the even more extensive. In this way, and especially if one first takes the catechetical, then the exegetical and finally the polemical writings, one gets something complete from each course, one works with greater pleasure and eagerness to learn and learns to understand, use and love Luther better and better. The words of the Savior also apply to the study of Luther: 'He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much', and: 'To him who has (namely, uses), it will be given that he may have the fullness. But do not forget to diligently collect notes on everything that occurs, as I have done for years with much benefit." *) (*) Letter dated July 19, 1852.)
As much as Keyl rejoiced when he found someone who took the study of Luther seriously, he was deeply saddened that the importance of this matter was not recognized more and more generally. He often expressed his regret that the incomparable treasures accumulated in Luther's works were not exploited more diligently even by Lutheran preachers and utilized for the benefit and piety of the Christian people. He says about this in one place:
"One feels that things are not right, but one does not resort to the right means. Many people want purity in doctrine and consolidation in it, but they fish from the dregs and do not go to the purest source, to Luther's works. It would seem wonderful to some if one were to say to them: Why don't you go back to Luther and learn theology from his works? For many people think: Well, Luther has already written good things, but others are also writing good things, and especially in recent times theology is beginning to flourish. Luther is too ordinary for many, they want something outlandish; for others Luther is not learned enough, and the like. Thus Satan deceives Christians out of the precious treasures that God has laid in their laps." *) (*) From an old notebook by Keyl without a date.)
Even as president, Keyl took every opportunity to recommend the study of Luther with warm and urgent words. Pastor Gross of Fort Wayne, who took over the presidency of the Eastern District after Keyl's death, writes to us:
"As president, Keyl used all his eloquence to make the pastors of his district, and especially the younger ones, understand how they could also study Luther like him (i.e. register) and preach Luther like him. Some succeeded, others could not manage it at all. However, he did not desist; they had to make a rehearsal in his presence according to a presented scheme and promise to continue working diligently in this way. In any case, Keyl's urgent and necessary zeal had the effect of encouraging the young pastors to study Luther diligently, even if each one did so in the way that suited him best. The main thing was achieved."
One of Keyl's most loyal students in his time was the witty, faithful and fiery pastor Kalb, who died oh! too early. In a letter addressed to several younger ministers 25 years ago, he recommends with impressive reasons and warm words the study of Luther according to Keyl's example; then he says of himself: "I want to remain Keyl's successor as long as I live and as far as my weak strength will last. You may think what you like of Keyl's way; this much is certain: if we get a lot of Keylians (that is, those who study Luther like him), the babbling in the pulpit will stop."
From all this we see that our Keyl was a true "Lutherophilus", that is, a great lover of Luther, and that through his love for Luther's incomparable spiritual treasures he also inspired many others to love them, although only a few may have accepted and followed his way of studying Luther. His voice has even reached Germany and his example has also been widely applauded and imitated there. In a review of his "Lutherophilus", a Lutheran newspaper wrote: "In our day, no one has studied Luther's writings more thoroughly and comprehensively than Keyl. We wish the booklet were in the hands of all students of theology, but especially of all Lutheran pastors who still live with Luther and learn from him." - We can only agree with this wish. Anyone who does not yet own the booklet should try to obtain it. With glowing enthusiasm, pointing out the great benefits and blessings, the author seeks to encourage the study of Luther. Truly, we know of no means more suitable for awakening love for Luther's writings than this booklet.
Furthermore, that the blessed Keyl, as a faithful imitator and follower of Luther, as we have come to know him, must also have been an excellent preacher who could only have preached good sermons, we would assume with certainty, even if we did not have a single testimony from people, because it could not be otherwise. Whoever, like him, is able to study the whole of Luther, and especially his sermons, also knows how to preach the Gospel as the Church preaches it, which rightly bears Luther's name.
A good sermon is one that feeds and nourishes a Christian soul that is hungry for the bread of life; whether the golden apples are served in silver or earthen bowls is of no essential importance. But a sermon that satisfies a hungry soul is also suitable in any case to awaken a dead soul, to frighten a soul that has become secure, to comfort a challenged soul, to lift up and strengthen a stupid and despondent soul, to bind up and heal a wounded soul, etc. A preacher who, as was the case with Keyl, enters the pulpit with a heart and memory filled with the incomparable treasures of Luther, can only preach a good sermon that hits all listeners, even without being equipped with brilliant gifts. And why is that? Because Luther had an incomparable ability to preach in a popular way, to make the Word of God accessible to the people, to separate the Law and the Gospel correctly and to apply them to the heart's needs and conditions of his listeners. That is why his sermons, springing from living experience and armed with spirit and power, hit the hearts of his listeners and readers, revealing to them their inherently unhappy state in order to lead them to the joyful certainty of their childhood in God.
There is ample evidence that Keyl's sermons <p. 112>, which were based on Luther's, were of a similar nature. The writer of this was also once fortunate enough to hear the blessed Keyl preach. It was in 1854, in the Emanuel Church in St. Louis, on the occasion of a synodal meeting. How much he longed to hear the interesting Luther preacher may be gathered from the fact that, in spite of violent attacks of hemorrhage, he went to the house of God and listened with rapt attention to the enthusiastic Lutherophilus. The sermon was appealing and well delivered in every respect. In terms of content, it was an instructive and edifying sermon, that is, it instructed the mind and moved the spirit. It was only short, and yet quite long enough; and it was written in such a style that it could have been heard in a German university church as well as in an American bush church. The method followed in it was quite the same as that which he recommended in his "Draft Sermons" to preachers working after Luther. The lecture was delivered with real liveliness, with great warmth of feeling and in an eloquent manner; and the impressive figure of the speaker, as well as the entirely appropriate gesticulations, heightened the pleasant impression. You could tell from every sentence of the sermon that it contained Luther's thoughts and words, yet everything was completely adapted to the sentence structure and language usage of our time. For this was Keyl's rare art, that he composed his sermons from nothing but sentences and paragraphs, really copied from Luther, in such a way that one could hear Luther speaking in our language. In short, the sermon we listened to was not a sermon that awakened the spiritually dead and sleeping, but all the more one that furthered the knowledge of true Christians and established and strengthened their faith. Even today, Schreiber must confess what he said at the time to his fellow ministers in reference to that sermon, namely: "Anyone who can preach Luther as Keyl did today is a happy preacher for himself and a blessed one for his congregation. If I were in a position to imitate Keyl, I would like to start right away; but I cannot. But this is what I want to do, from now on I want to study Luther's writings more diligently, absorb Luther's spirit and thoughts more and more into my soul, and in this way become more and more like Luther's example, especially in his genuinely evangelical way of preaching, namely in the right division of the Law and the Gospel."
What we have now said of a single sermon which Keyl himself heard, will probably be generally applicable to all his sermons prepared and delivered after Luther. People who were nearer to the blessed Keyl than the writer of this, all testify that since the time when he began to study Luther chiefly, the glorious gift of awakening the spiritually dead and sleeping was no longer shown in him, as formerly; but that his sermons were the more calculated to promote true Christians in every respect. We shall probably be right in saying that Luther's study and mature experience brought about the perceived change in his preaching and in his whole ministry. Similar changes, though not as conspicuous as in Keyl, probably occur in the life of every preacher who grows in the knowledge of God and increases in the inner man; far from being an evil sign, therefore, they are rather a mark of a fruitful life of faith that is in the preacher. And this was also the case with Keyl.
One might easily think that because Keyl worked out all his sermons and speeches after Luther, he would never have been embarrassed in working them out; but this is not so. It is true that he always preached in the same way in his sermons, treating one or two parts in more detail and the rest only summarily; as he also gives instructions in his printed "Sermon Drafts"; but the preparation for his sermons sometimes caused him much heartache and headache, as is also the case with other preachers. Here is just one example. He writes to a fellow minister: "I thought about yesterday's Gospel (on Sunday Judica) for a whole day, but couldn't come up with anything. Perplexed, I walked around my study like a 'creaking' pastor, as dear old Brandt once said. The next day, however, the ice suddenly broke and I couldn't conceive (write down) fast enough, so my thoughts began to flow. My disposition was this: "Christ's refutation of his blaspheming enemies: 1. by reason, 2. by the example of their children, 3. by their own experience and 4. by his divine testimony." *) (*) Letter of the year 1858.)
This disposition also gives us an example of how genuinely biblical, plain and simple Keyl's preaching was. The following dispositions may also prove this. On Epiphany, he preached two sermons on one topic. In the morning: "The grace of God on the Wise Men from the East and their behavior against it: 1. God let the star rise for them and they set out for Christ without delay; 2. he was patient with them when they went astray and they were encouraged by this to ask for Christ all the more eagerly; 3. he kept them in the midst of secret enemies and they were not misled by anything." In the afternoon, the same theme and the following parts: "1. he led them by his word and the star and they followed with great joy; 2. he let them find JEsum and they brought him worship and gifts; 3. he warned them not to return by the former way and they obeyed his voice." On the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, his theme is: "Simeon's blessed death." In the morning: "Simeon's preparation for a blessed death: 1. he was pious and God-fearing; 2. he waited for the consolation of Israel; 3. the Holy Spirit was in him and he allowed himself to be guided by it." Afternoon: "Simeon's certainty of his blessed death: 1. with which he expresses his certainty (Lord, now you are leaving, etc.); 2. on which he bases it (for my eyes have, etc.)."
It is also interesting to see what Keyl himself thought of his sermons. He writes: "I am coming more and more to the realization that I am too verbose in my sermons and speeches since I have studied Luther's writings. If I had studied Weller's writings more, I would have appropriated more of his brevity." (*) (*) Diary, 1857.) The Hieronymus Weller mentioned here had been a student of Luther in his youth and remained so throughout his life, not only insofar as he remained faithful to Luther's teachings, but also insofar as he made Luther's writings his main study and drew his theology from them. Keyl now thinks that Weller was more fortunate in his study of Luther because he was more committed to brevity and therefore did not become as verbose and verbose as he was. It seems to us that he was right in this judgment of himself.
It is also interesting what he says about the number of sermons he preached. He writes: "The number of sermons I preached from the beginning of my ministry in Germany, from the 14th Sunday after Trinity in 1829 until 1857, in the 28 years, is as follows: If I count on average two Sunday sermons, one weekly sermon and one confessional address every week - i.e. four sermons a week - the result is 5824. If I further calculate an average of only twenty-five funeral sermons per year, this results in the number 700, totaling 6524. This does not include the sermons for festivals, which can also be calculated at twenty-five per year, nor the funeral sermons, so that at least 700 are added in 28 years. Thus the sum of the sermons preached in the 28 years would be at least 7224. - To God alone the glory for all his grace to teach." *) (*) Diary, year 1857.)
If we now consider that he continued to preach tirelessly for another thirteen years, and almost the entire time in Baltimore, where there were many opportunities to preach, it would hardly be too high to put the number of sermons preached during his 42 years of ministry at 10,000. Truly, a fine sum of testimonies that he publicly gave of Christ and his salvation! For this is certainly the most beautiful testimony we can give to the blessed Keyl, that he testified of Christ from his first sermon to his last. For even during his aberrations in Stephanism he never for a moment ceased to proclaim Christ as the sole reason for salvation and blessedness and to extol him to his listeners. This is not to deny, however, that during his association with Stephen he did not at times add wood, hay and stubble to the golden foundation; but since the true foundation remained untouched, it so happened that when the temptation came, all the accessories were burned away, but the true foundation came to light all the more gloriously. Keyl's motto was and remained the apostle's word to the end:
"Not that I know anything among you, except JEsum Christ crucified."
It will soon be time to hurry to the end of this chapter. But we must briefly touch on a few things. The reader can probably get an idea of how our blessed Keyl saw his preaching and pastoral ministry from what has been said so far. However, we cannot refrain from sharing another piece of evidence from his written legacy. It is a meditation (spiritual reflection) in prayer form on the Gospel on the first Sunday of Advent. It says: "Open my ear, Jesus, that I may hear as Your disciples did, that I may save myself before all, and then those who hear me may do what You command me to do, exactly according to Your word, without delay, trusting in Your heart-directing power. ("The disciples went away and did as Jesus commanded them.") Your word cannot come back empty. Put Your word in my mouth. ('The Lord needs them.') Accompany it with Your blessing. ('As soon as he leaves them to you.') Guide me, Jesus, in all my ministry Your ways and teach me Your paths. Let me, like Moses, be faithful in all Your house, so that I do not consider any step in my ministry to be small, but take every step in Your name. For he who is unfaithful in the least is not faithful in much. (There it was only a matter of bringing a donkey and a colt; 'You will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie her and bring her to me'; but it served to fulfill the prophetic word: 'Tell the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your King is coming to you meekly, riding on a donkey and on a colt of the burdened donkey"; it also served to glorify Christ: "The Lord has need of her.") Grant that I may exhort my hearers also to leave something of their temporal goods to Thee and to Thy own. ('The Lord has need of them'; the disciples put their clothes on the donkey for the Lord's comfort, and the people spread their clothes on the road).
"Grant, O Jesus, that I may loosen the poor, burdened souls who groan under the weight of the law, or who are in danger of taking it upon themselves, and lead them to You. ('Undo them and bring them to me.') Let me see to it for my encouragement and comfort that, in right obedience to You and Your Word, I will also find everything just as You have said (the disciples found it all just as the Lord had told them), and that I know what I should answer each one. ('The Lord has need of them.')
"Bless, O Jesus, my going out and my coming in. (The disciples went and came again.) Let me go out in your strength and come to you with your blessing. ('The disciples brought the donkey and the colt.') In all my work, in preaching, catechizing, confessing, visiting the sick, talking, let me always have a certain goal in mind and strive to achieve it. (There that man left the donkey to the Lord.) But if You lead me to something I did not think of and give me the opportunity to work on souls, grant that I may make good use of such an opportunity and make every effort to ensure that You are recognized and praised. (That man heard from the Lord, others sang hosanna to him.) Help me to offer and sanctify my garments and all that I have to Thee, and to put on the garment of righteousness, that the filthy garments of sin may be put off from me, as with Joshua the high priest, Zechariah 3; that I may be an example to others in all good works, that I may not preach to others and be reprobate myself. Let me prove my love and reverence for Thee, my Jesus, on every occasion, that I may exalt Thee and humble myself ("and set him upon it"), that Thou mayest say: Here it pleases me, here is my rest for ever. Help me to sanctify myself, the least of all, through You, and to do all that I do with words or with works for Your glory and to be filled with holy thoughts.
"Let my preaching, O JEsu, be a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that the listeners may be moved by it. (Let the main content of my preaching be to show You to the people, to announce Your arrival, to prepare the way for You, to proclaim that You are a merciful, almighty, just and gentle King, that all may fast their hearts to You, go out to meet You and shout: Hosanna, You are my King too. Help me to diligently draw before everyone's eyes Your fourfold coming, for redemption in Your incarnation, into their hearts through Word and Sacrament, so that You may come to their salvation in death and they may go to meet You with joy at Your final return.
"Help, O Jesus, that I may encourage all to hasten to meet Thee in the time of grace, to serve Thee, to surround Thee and to follow Thee. But let me not look to the multitude of the hearers (there was a great people who went before and followed), nor to temporary stirrings (those people were greatly stirred); but to the lasting blessing and to the constant walk in the fear of God. (But those people helped to crucify Jesus a few days later)." -
This spiritual reflection not only gives us a deep insight into Keyl's pious and God-fearing heart, but it also shows us how deeply he had grasped the significance of his preaching ministry; and that he was not a mere preacher, but a priest of God, who carried all the spiritual needs of the Christian people entrusted to him on his heart, and sought to satisfy them with all faithfulness and conscientiousness.
We cannot conclude this chapter without also mentioning Keyl's activities as District Prefect. But we shall do so very briefly. If we wanted to go into more detail, we would have to consult the synodal reports of the Eastern District of our synod from the 1950s and 1960s; and we must confess that we would gladly and with pleasure do so, if only space permitted; for this would give our picture of Keyl's life and work its proper splendor and decoration.
As president, Keyl showed that he was a thoroughly practical theologian. That is why, during his fourteen-year presidency, the main negotiations of the Eastern District were all directed towards practical Christianity in the congregations. Keyl's entire ministry as a preacher and pastor is reflected in the Eastern Synodal Reports. What he did as a preacher and pastor in his congregation, he also wanted the preachers of his district to do as president. That is indeed the case.
His main aim as president was threefold: firstly, to introduce the preachers to Luther's writings and to make the study of Luther extremely important, expensive and valuable to them. They were to draw their theology from Luther. From Luther they were to learn how to interpret the Scriptures, how to preach in a genuinely Lutheran way, how to practice the catechism correctly, how to practice private pastoral care, etc. The second thing Keyl strove for as president was to bring a lively spiritual life into the congregations and into every house in the congregations, and to cultivate and promote it. Of course, he was far removed from any fanatical activity. He only wanted to achieve this goal through the tried and tested, God-given means. He therefore demanded diligent preaching, Scripture exposition and catechizing, not only on Sundays, but also during the week, even in rural parishes, and it should also take place in private homes, where a small number could gather. In addition, however, he also demanded that efforts be made to make public services fully liturgical and - as far as possible - uniform. In order to awaken and promote spiritual life in homes and families, he called for the distribution of good, proven edification books, especially the writings of Luther, because through them, as through no other writings, the people would be led to love and understanding of the Word. Finally, the third thing Keyl strove for as president was to inspire and encourage the preachers in his district, especially the younger ones, to study diligently and be active in their ministry by his own example.
We have already said that what he did, he demanded of others, and what he demanded of others, he did himself. Now we readily admit that this was perhaps a little too much to ask of some, especially of a young and inexperienced preacher. He gave a young preacher whom he ordained his workload immediately after ordination, as follows: Every Sunday morning sermon on the evangelical or epistolary pericope; every Sunday afternoon catechism sermon, combined with examen; every Wednesday evening continuous Bible explanation. But the poor man also had to teach school five days a week and, of course, practice private pastoral care, so he was often so anxious that he didn't know where to go until the exercise gradually brought him some relief. Keyl, however, thought that this was not too much for the beginning. As an old practitioner, he had probably long forgotten how he had felt at the beginning of his ministry.
And now, finally, a few words about Keyl as a theologian. If we have already said above that he was a thoroughly practical theologian, this is not to deny that he did not also show a great zeal to penetrate ever deeper into the doctrine with all the scientific means at his disposal; it is only to say that his work in the Kingdom of God was devoted more to practical than to scientific theology. Not only his literary works bear witness to this, but also his entire ministerial activity, as we have presented it to the reader in a few outlines. Keyl was not a productive, creative theologian, as the scholars would say, but he possessed an eminent gift for absorbing the intellectual work of others, processing it and utilizing it for the benefit and piety of the Church. His essays published in our journals, his printed books and his manuscripts left behind bear witness to this. Keyl's grandest plan, which unfortunately never came to fruition, was probably his "Proposal for a Bible commentary based on the writings of Dr. Luther and the Lutheran theologians of the Reformation".*) (*) "Lehre und Wehre", vol. 10, pp. 353-367.) Of course, it would not have been one man's work alone to produce such a huge work, even if he had devoted his whole life to it; but Keyl would probably have been the man to lead the production of such a work with prudence and to support it energetically, as he has indeed already collected much material for it.
Furthermore, Keyl was not a particularly sharp thinker, and he would hardly have been suitable for a professor of systematic theology; on the other hand, he was a man of clear mind and sound theological judgment, both in the field of dogmatics and in the field of casuistry. Keyl was also not a great dialectician, that is, he was not particularly gifted with the ability to conduct a public doctrinal dispute, to publicly defend pure doctrine against the attacks of sharp-witted enemies; nevertheless, he was always able to counter the objections of learned enemies with a quick wit and to rebuff their attacks in his humorous manner, with effervescent wit and a laughing face. His German Royal Saxon Superintendent often made acquaintance with Keyl's latter gift when, as a poisonous rationalist, he attacked Keyl's theology, but was rebuffed by the latter in such a witty manner that, although full of inner grimness, he had to leave in awe.
Finally, Keyl had no particular gift of government, but this lack was not very much felt in his congregations. He himself did not speak much in the church meetings; but the great respect he enjoyed in his congregations, his whole appearance, which was awe-inspiring, as well as his dignified, measured, tactful behavior and appearance, meant that everything was honest and orderly in the church meetings. Keyl was a pastor from the top of his head to the sole of his foot. Just as one says of someone born to rule: "Every inch a king", one could say of Keyl: "Every inch a pastor." This also made up for much of what he lacked in the gift of government.
On the other hand, he possessed a fine pastoral gift of guiding the individual souls who trustingly discovered their hearts to him and confidently entrusted themselves to his spiritual guidance in a truly fatherly way, encouraging them in their knowledge and making them joyful and certain in their faith.
But the most praiseworthy thing that can be said of Keyl with regard to his gifts is that he has worked faithfully with his pounds and gifts. God has distributed the gifts differently; he has not given all the gifts to one individual, but to each one his measure, as he willed and found it good. Just as the stars in the sky are unequal according to their size, brilliance and effect, so the ministers of the Church are unequal according to their gifts, offices and powers; which inequality God, the giver of all good gifts, has made for the good of his Church himself. Therefore it is only important that each one recognizes the gift that God has given him to serve others in the Church, so that he may awaken and strengthen this gift through diligent prayer and contemplation of the divine word, and through faithful exercise of the same in heartfelt humility without self-complacency and ambition. Keyl speaks quite beautifully about the use of the gifts in a synodal speech from 1858. We cannot resist including a passage from that speech here and concluding this chapter with it. It says there:
"Now the apostle shows by the parable of the members of the human body that each member of Christianity has been given some one of the various gifts; namely, how one member serves the other and thus the whole body, and how none of them can be dispensed with without harm to the others; indeed, how the very ones that seem to be the weakest are the most necessary: thus every Christian is adorned with some gift from God; none, even the apparently least, gift can be dispensed with for the good of the other members and of all Christendom; indeed, they are often the most necessary. That is why Dr. Luther says: 'There is no man who is otherwise a Christian who is not of some use after God has thus distributed it. Even if a man were weak, sick and bedridden, he is still useful for me to do my work on him; he is useful to me when I need him;
I'm talking about the gifts now. Many a man is considered useless, but when he is dead, one thinks: Oh, if we had such a man now, who could advise us and help us in our affairs! So after death it is found that there is no one so lowly who would not have something to serve others, although it may be obscured by some infirmities, but after death it is seen.
"But when St. Paul says: 'In each one the gifts of the Spirit are manifested for the common good,' he undoubtedly means not only the gifts of those who are still living, but also of those who have departed this life, but who have left us their writings as treasuries of their various gifts and thus still speak to us, even though they have long since died; as this is true of the holy apostles and all pure teachers, especially of Dr. Luther, to whom God gave a particularly rich measure of all gifts for the common good, and among them especially the gift of Scripture interpretation. Luther, to whom God bestowed a particularly rich measure of all gifts for the common good, including above all the gift of interpreting Scripture.
"Now this is the Christian's own art, which distinguishes him from the world, that he knows and recognizes that all such gifts come down from above, from the Father of light, from the Lord Jesus Christ, who, exalted at the right hand of God, has received gifts even for the apostates, from the Holy Spirit, who works all these things; For where there is such knowledge, a Christian does not deny such gifts, but he does not exalt them either, but exalts the Lord who bestowed them on him, and gives him alone the glory; nor is he fainthearted if he has not received particularly splendid gifts or only a small measure of a seemingly small gift, but he deals with them faithfully, so that he seeks to use them as much as he knows and can.
"This leads us to the answer to the question of how the various gifts of the Spirit are to manifest themselves for the common good. All our endeavors in teaching and life should serve for the betterment and edification of the body of Christ, as Christ says: 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven' (Matt. 5:16); and Peter: "You are the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the people of property, that you may proclaim the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9) Now this is done first of all by the called servants of Christ, as stewards of God's mysteries, who by teaching, reproof, consolation and exhortation, as well as by administering the holy sacraments, help those who are in God's kingdom to remain in it and increase daily, and that it may come to others who do not yet have it, so that we may all remain in his kingdom, beginning here, for ever. The more faithfully they prove themselves in this for the benefit of churches, the more their entrusted treasure will also grow among their co-workers in all kinds of ways, and thus their gifts, if recognized and used by others, will also benefit other churches.
"But every member of a Christian congregation should also be mindful of this duty, for St. Paul says that the gifts of the Spirit are manifested in each one, and St. Peter exhorts all Christians to serve one another, each one with the gift he has received, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10).) Then each one should ask himself before God what is the gift entrusted to him by God to serve others with, he should awaken and strengthen this gift through diligent prayer and meditation on the Word of God, especially by faithfully exercising it in heartfelt humility without complacency and honor-seeking, first in his professional circle, which God has given him, then in his dealings with others, in church and synodal meetings or wherever else he is given the opportunity to do so. I will give two examples of the benefits that Christian laypeople can also bring in this way. At the church assembly in Nicaea, the Christian bishops had talked to a pagan worldly wise man for a long time, but in vain, in order to bring him from unbelief to faith. Finally, a pious man, a layman, stood up and, having received permission to speak, addressed him with the words: 'In the name of Jesus, hear the things that are true,' whereupon he made a brief confession of the Christian faith, as contained in the second article, and then asked the other, 'Do you believe that all this is true? When the wise man was struck dumb by the man's strong speech and was unable to contradict him, he rebuked him and said, "Well, if you believe these things to be true, follow me to do them and receive the seal of faith, holy baptism." And behold, the wise man, rejoicing that he had been overcome, became a Christian that very day. (Euseb. X, 4.) The other example is that of Joseph Schaitberger, a Lutheran from Salzburg, who, through his writings, especially through his well-known Epistle, strengthened his fellow believers to leave their fatherland for the sake of the faith, and who, still in his 74th year, exhorted a procession of emigrants with many tears, the parents crying out to their children: 'Behold, this is the Joseph of whom we have told you so often and to whom we owe so much good.
"God help all his servants and all Christians, that in every one the gift given to him may be manifested for the common good, and that God may also be glorified by us in word and deed through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen."