Dr. Walther's First Presidential Address

Translator's Introduction

The best presentation of the Scriptural truths regarding the relationship of a church organization and its members, as they are exemplified in our Synodical Constitution, was given by Dr. Walther in his first presidential address at the second meeting of Synod in 1848. This address, found in the Report of 1848, pp. 5-10, is truly a classic and deserves to be studied and restudied by every Lutheran. We have reproduced the inspiring words of Walther to the best of our ability, trying at all times to reproduce his thoughts, even though at times at the expense of fluency.

Opening Joy and Burden

In these last days of sore distress there have again come days of great joy, days of refreshment and strengthening for us, members and servants of the evangelical Lutheran Church of this country. God has granted us grace that we, who knew and know that we are united in one faith, but in part were not acquainted and in most cases lived a great distance from one another and had to work and battle alone, have been able to meet here to manifest our unity in the spirit publicly by deeds and jointly to strengthen this unity, to confess our most holy faith jointly and to be edified thereby, jointly to take upon ourselves the burden of the individual and to present it to God in joint prayer. Whereas at present our fellow believers in most other countries, especially in our former fatherland, because of the disturbance and confusion of a violent dissolution of all existing relationships in church and state, are restricted almost entirely to solitary sighing in the closet, we have been able to assemble peacefully to refresh our spirits in the shadow of an undisturbed peace. Thanks, humble thanks be to Him who is good and whose mercy endureth forever.

However, we are here not only as individuals; most of us have come here as servants and members of the church in the name and on behalf of our congregations in order to deliberate in the fear of God on matters necessary for them and the church as a whole. We are bearing a grave responsibility in being present here, in the confessions which we make and in the resolutions we pass. The eyes of many are on us; they are looking upon our deliberations partly with concern, partly with expectation. Generally, however, the demand is made upon our meeting and, we must admit, with perfect justification that it is not only to be beneficial for us personally, but that it also brings a blessing upon our congregations and the whole church.

I do not doubt for a moment that all of you, my dear brethren in Christ, have come here with the fervent prayer to God for such a blessing upon our activity and with the holy purpose, as members of this body, to consider such a blessing the goal of your activity.

The Question Before the Synod

Perhaps all of us, the one more, the other less, are filled with concern by the thought that our deliberations might easily be unproductive; I mean the thought that, according to the constitution under which our Synodical union exists, we have merely the power to advise one another, that we have only the power of the Word, and of convincing. According to our constitution we have no right to formulate decrees, to pass laws and regulations, and to make a judicial decision, to which our congregations would have to submit unconditionally in any matter involving the imposing of something upon them. Our constitution by no means makes us a consistory, by no means a supreme court of our congregations. It rather grants them the most perfect liberty in everything, excepting nothing but the Word of God, faith, and charity. According to our constitution we are not above our congregations, but in them and at their side.

Have we not thereby been deprived almost entirely of the possibility of exercising an energetic, salutary influence upon our congregations? Have we not perhaps by adopting a constitution as ours is, made ourselves a mere shadow of a synod? The relationship into which we have entered being what it is, shall we not exhaust ourselves with labors which may easily be lost entirely, since nobody is forced to submit to our resolutions?

You surely all join me in answering this question with a decided No! You need no proof for this, least of all my reasoning. I hope, however, that you will gladly lend me your ears, if I now at the opening of this year's sessions attempt to focus your attention for several moments on the topic I have suggested. Surely there is nobody among us who realizes more vividly than I do how completely unfit I am to arise in this venerable assembly and teach among teachers; but it is incumbent upon me to take the floor because of the office which you have seen fit to impose upon me, the least of you; moreover, by means of several hints which I can present according to the measure of my knowledge and the meager preparation allowed me, I hope at least to stimulate you to meditate on this important matter to greater benefit.

The question to which I now intend to give a brief answer is the following:

Why Should and Can We Carry On Our Work Joyfully Although We Have No Power But the Power of the Word?

Christ Rules by the Word Alone

The principal and most important motive is the following: Because Christ has given His servants only this and no other power, and because even the holy apostles have appropriated to themselves no other power and therefore have seriously warned the servants of the church against claiming every other power.

Christ's church is not of the same nature as a temporal state. He says before Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world," and then declares that He came to bear witness unto the truth. His kingdom is therefore a kingdom of truth, a spiritual and heavenly kingdom in which only free citizens of the kingdom of heaven dwell.

Who, then, has the power in this kingdom? It is Jesus Christ alone. He says: "I am a King." "I am the Good Shepherd." "One is your Master, even Christ." The apostle calls Him the Head over all things to the church. Christ exercises this power through His Word, accompanied and sealed by the holy Sacraments. This is the right scepter with which He rules His people and the rod and staff with which He feeds His flock.

Christ not only declares that He alone has the power in His church and exercises it by His Word, but He also denies to all others any other authority to command in His church. He says, "And all ye are brethren," that is, in His church all are equal, all subject to Him, and no one is lord and commander of the other. Therefore no servant of the church is to seek dominion after the manner of the princes of the Gentiles.

The Apostolic Pattern

What Christ hereby denied to the apostles, they never claimed for themselves. They demanded no submission except to Jesus Christ, namely, to His Word. They said: "Not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves....For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." 2 Cor. 4.

When, therefore, St. Paul toward the end of the first chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians had used the expression, that he had not come to Corinth in person because he wished to "spare" his Corinthians, it might have seemed to some as though the apostle were thereby making himself a lord who had the power to demand and grant dispensation according to his pleasure, to punish and to spare; in order that this wrong impression might not become fixed, he immediately adds: "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy." Again, when this same apostle had urged and admonished the congregation in Corinth to participate in a collection for the poor, he adds: "I speak not by commandment but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love."

Even at the election and appointment of officers to care for the physical needs of the congregations the apostles therefore did not claim the right to choose these men alone. When the deacons were to be elected at Jerusalem, the apostles addressed the congregation in this manner: "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom ye may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." Then we read: "And the saying pleased the whole multitude; and they chose Stephen, etc., whom they set before the apostles."

Again, when, according to Acts 15, a dispute arose among the Christians in Antioch about the question whether Christians who had formerly been Gentiles would have to be circumcised and Paul and Barnabas were unable to soothe the divided multitude, the congregation elected them and several others and sent them to Jerusalem as their delegates to secure counsel. What happened? The apostles and elders meet to consider the matter; but they do not dare to exclude the congregation in this matter; all members met; there is argument and counter argument; finally, Peter and James arise and place the matter in the right light. A joint resolution is then passed and included in a Synodical letter, in which we read: "the apostles, and elders, and brethren it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord." Thus we see that the apostles did not at all claim any dominion over the congregation. Even in the most important church councils they granted the so-called laymen just as much right, just as much seat and deciding vote as themselves.

Therefore they also diligently and seriously warn all who have an office in the church against all desire to rule. For instance, Peter writes: "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder - feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." Likewise Paul admonishes Timothy: "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." The holy apostles grant only one power to those who serve the church as rulers, namely, the power of the Word.

Congregational Liberty and Counsel

Accordingly there can be no doubt, venerable brethren in office and respected delegates, that we are not renouncing any right belonging to us if we as servants of the church and as members of an ecclesiastical synod claim no other power than the power of the Word; for in the church where Christ alone rules there dare and can be no other power to which all must submit. To be sure, there are matters which the Word of God does not regulate, but which must be arranged in the church; but all such matters are not to be arranged by any power above the congregation, but the congregation, that is, pastors and hearers, arranges them, free of every compulsion, as it is necessary and appears salutary.

What, then, are men doing who claim a power in the church beside the power of the Word? They are robbing the church of Christ of the liberty which He has purchased with a price, with His divine blood, and are degrading this free Jerusalem, in which there are only kings, priests, and prophets, this kingdom of God, this heavenly kingdom of truth to an organization under strict police rule in which everybody is compelled to be obedient to every human ordinance. They are seeking the royal crown of Christ, the only true King, and are making themselves kings over His kingdom; they are deposing Christ, the only true Master, from His chair and are setting themselves up as masters in His church; they are striving to separate Christ, the only true Head, from His church and are presumptuously trying to be heads of His spiritual body. They exalt themselves above the holy apostles and claim a power which God's Word plainly denies them and which has been granted by God to no man, no creature, not even to an angel or archangel.

Undoubtedly our congregations were free to follow this example and to invest the synod meeting in their name with a power beside the power of the Word; but it is a different question whether it would have been wise if they had done so. I say no, because under the prevailing circumstances we can confidently hope for auspicious success of our work, or rather of God's work which we are promoting, if we use only the power of God.

It is true, if our congregations had granted us full power to decide and decree in their name, it apparently would have been easy for us to give all of the congregations of our territory the form of truly Lutheran congregations, whereas with our present constitution our hands appear to be tied. But this only seems to be the case. Even though some congregations may use the liberty they possess of rejecting our recommendations even if they are salutary; thereby they indeed deprive themselves of a blessing. But what would be the result if such congregations by their entrance into our organization had obligated themselves to submit to all of our orders? The exercise of our power would have laid the foundation for constant dissatisfaction, for constantly reviving fear of hierarchical efforts, and thus for endless friction.

We can, however, certainly hope for altogether different results if we ask nothing unconditionally of our congregations except submission to the Word, if we therefore leave it to them to govern themselves and assist them only with our advice. We need not fear that the secular element of a political democracy will invade the church, that therefrom will arise a popular government, a papacy of the people, and that we, who are to be servants of Christ, wilt thereby become servants of men. How can this be an ungodly popular government, where the people use the rights given to them by God? How can this be a papacy of the people, if the priestly nation of Christians does not permit any man to enact laws for them in matters which God has not prescribed and is willing to obey the preacher of the Word unconditionally only when Christ Himself speaks through him?

Joyful Labor and Final Exhortation

Also our Synodical body has the same prospects of salutary influence if it does not attempt to operate through any other means than through the power of the Word of God. Even then we must expect battles, but they will not be the mean, depressing battles for obedience to human laws, but the holy battles for God's Word, for God's honor and kingdom. And the more our congregations will realize that we do not desire to employ any other power over them than the divine power of the Word, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, the more will also our counsel find an open door among them. To be sure, those who do not love the Word will separate from us, but for those who love it, our fellowship will be a comforting refuge; and if they adopt our resolutions, they will not consider them a foreign burden imposed upon them from without but as a benefit and a gift of brotherly love, and will champion, defend, and preserve them as their own.

Even though we possess no power, but that of the Word, we nevertheless can and should carry on our work joyfully. Let us, therefore, esteemed sirs and brethren, use this power properly. Let us above all and in all matters be concerned about this, that the pure doctrine of our dear Evangelical Lutheran Church may become known more and more completely among us, that it may be in vogue in all of our congregations, and that it may be preserved from all adulteration and held fast as the most precious treasure. Let us not surrender one iota of the demands of the Word. Let us bring about its complete rule in our congregations and set aside nothing of it, even though for this reason things may happen to us, as God wills. Here let us be inflexible, here let us be adamant.

If we do this, we need not worry about the success of our labor. Even though it should seem to be in vain, it cannot then be in vain, for the Word does not return void but prospers in the thing whereto the Lord sent it. By the Word alone, without any other power, the church was founded; by the Word alone all the great deeds recorded in church history were accomplished; by the Word alone the church will most assuredly stand also in these last days of sore distress, to the end of days. Even the gates of hell will not prevail against it. "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the Word of the Lord endureth forever." Amen.