Book: American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics

S >> Samuel Simon Schmucker >> American Lutheranism Vindicated; or, Examination of the Lutheran Symbols, on Certain Disputed Topics




We also admitted, that then, as now, the word mass was sometimes used
by the Romanists for the sacramental celebration in general, including
the mass proper.

Thirdly, we assumed as undenied, that the Reformers, having been born
and educated in the Romish religion till their majority, were
accustomed to this two-fold use of the term mass.

We then asserted that the Reformers continued the twofold use of the
term, and as its occasional use for the eucharist in general is not
disputed, we especially proved that they continued to observe the
distinction and to employ it in its _specific sense_, whenever the
mass proper was spoken of.

We proved from various letters and other documents of _Luther_, written
in the year of the Diet, that he makes the distinction and uses the
term mass for the above described mass proper.

We proved from various letters and other articles of _Melancthon_,
written during the session of the Diet, that he employed it in this
specific sense.

We proved that the other Reformers used the word in this specific
sense, such as Aurifaber, and Spalatin. And finally:

We proved that the _Romanists_ used it in this sense at the Diet, in
their pretended Refutation of the Augsburg Confession.

There being no possible doubt of the Reformers using the word mass to
mean the specific mass, in their other writings at that time; the, only
remaining question was, whether Melancthon so used it in the disputed
passages of the Article XXIV. of the Augsburg Confession.

That he did here employ it, in this specific sense, we proved by the
following facts: Because he made two different captions or headings for
two different articles, and in the one headed "Of the Lord's Supper,"
he discusses that subject, and in the other headed "The Mass," he
discusses what is specifically termed mass.

We proved, that Melancthon and all other translators from the Latin or
German copy, have translated these passages, messa, and _mass_, and not
Abendmahl, or Lord's Supper, or Eucharist.

We have proved, that in this very Article XXIV., the mass and sacrament
are spoken of in the same sentence as different things, being connected
together by the word "_and_."

We have proved, that if we substitute the Lord's Supper instead of mass
in this Article, many of the passages will make nonsense.

We have proved, that the Romanists themselves in their Refutation of
the Augsburg Confession, understood this Article XXIV. as speaking of
the Mass proper, and censured it for rejecting private masses, _whilst
it approved of it_ for retaining public masses.

_Finally_, we have proved, that Melancthon, in replying to this Romish
Refutation, does not charge them with having misunderstood the XXIV.
Article; but goes on to refute their arguments, implying that they had
understood him correctly.

In view of all these facts it is impossible for us to doubt, that the
word mass in the objected passages of the Article XXIV., signifies the
mass in its specific sense, and not the Lord's Supper in general: and
that when the Reformers affirm in their Confession, that "they are
unjustly charged with having abolished the mass" they meant that they
retained the mass on sacramental occasions, with the limitations and
altered explanations of the nature and application of it, specified in
different parts of the Confession; whilst they freely admitted, that
they had rejected private and closet, masses, and indeed all masses,
except on occasions when the sacrament was administered to the people.
What the Romanists considered as the essential doctrine of the mass,
viz., its being a sacrifice of Christ, offered by the priest, and its
being offered by him for others than himself, either living or dead,
and its being performed at any other time, or for any other purpose
than as a preparative for Sacramental Communion, the Confession
rejects, but the _outward_ rite itself, on public sacramental occasions,
it professes to retain: and this being the only charge made in the
_Platform_ on this subject, we appeal to every candid reader to decide,
whether it has not been fully established.

Whether Melancthon and the princes had yielded more in this Confession
than Luther approved, and whether any of the alterations confessedly
made in the Confession after Luther had approved it, related to this
Article, is quite a different question, and cannot affect the meaning
of the Article itself. It is not improbable that such was the case;
but even the ritual, which Luther prepared in 1523, contained the
greater part of the Romish mass, such as the _Introitus_, the _Kyrie
Eleison_, the _Collecta_, or prayer and _epistles, Singing of the
Gradual_, a _Short Sequens_, the _Gospel_, the _Nicene Creed_, and a
number of other matters, not excepting even the _elevation_ of the host,
but not for adoration, which latter he retained till [sic]
_till twelve years after the Diet at Augsburg!_ Yet, even at that time,
he had rejected the greater part of the most objectionable portions of
the mass. Hence, as the Platform charges the Confession only with
favoring the _Ceremonies of the Mass_, the charge is not only sustained,
but falls short, of what we have established in the preceding pages: and
all the vituperation aimed at us by different individuals, who have
studied the subject imperfectly, or not at all, we cheerfully forgive,
conscious that the aim of all we have published on this subject has been
the prosperity of the church, and assured that it will be blessed by the
Master to this glorious end.

_Reference to the author's former works containing representations_ of
this subject.

In view of these indisputable results of a careful investigation of the
original sources, it may not be amiss to cast a glance at the
representations of this subject in our former publications during the
last quarter of a century, as we have frequently been charged, not
indeed by the author of the Plea, but by superficial writers, with
self-contradiction and misrepresentation. It would indeed have been in
perfect unison with the habit of the best authors of Europe and America,
to change our opinions as we extended our investigations, and freely to
profess such change. Nor should we feel any reluctance in following such
distinguished authorities, if we felt that our case required it. But in
reperusing our former statements, we cannot see that they differ, in any
material point, from the results of our latest investigations above
given.

In the Popular Theology, (page 406 of the seventh edition,) first
published in 1834, speaking of the article of the Augsburg Confession on
the Mass, we find the following:--"On this subject, (the mass,) the
language of the Confession was less condemnatory, than that which they
soon after employed. In the Smalcald Articles, which were published
seven years after this Confession, in 1537, Luther declares the Papal
mass to be a most momentous and abominable corruption; because it
militates directly and powerfully against the fundamental doctrine,
(justification by faith in Jesus Christ.") We then add several extracts
from the Augsburg Confession, showing that the confessors rejected the
_sacrificial_ and _vicarious_ nature of the mass, as well as other
objectionable features of it. Now here we find the same two positions
taken, which the preceding discussions of this chapter have established,
namely, that the Confession is less condemnatory than the later Smalcald
Articles; that it favors the mass more, and speaks of it in milder
language than was employed at a subsequent period. As no one of any note
at that day pretended to urge the adoption of the entire Augsburg
Confession, much less of all the symbolical books, there was no
necessity of dilating on the objectionable features of the Confession,
and we of course abstain from doing so. In this silence we would have
persevered to this day, had not a new generation of European symbolists
since then sought refuge on our shores, and carried on aggressive
operations, incessantly assailing the General Synod and her members, and
charging them with unfaithfulness to Confessions which they never
adopted, except as to fundamentals; thus compelling us to expose these
remnants of Romish error which they certainly do contain.

When, we turn to our _History of the American Lutheran Church_,
published in 1852, we find on pages 240, 241, the following statement:--
"The mass, that is, _the name and some of the ceremonies_ of the Romish
mass, were retained in the Augsburg Confession; although the errors in
doctrine, by which the Romish mass grew out of the Scripture doctrine
of the Lord's Supper, were rejected in that as well as subsequent
symbols." "Our churches," (says the Augsburg Confession, Art. XXIV.)
"are _unjustly_ charged with having rejected the mass, (messe.) For it
is publicly known that the mass is celebrated amongst us with greater
devotion and earnestness, than amongst our opponents." "Nor has there
been any perceptible change made in the public ceremonies of the mass,
except that at several places _German_ hymns are sung along with the
_Latin_ ones." "Our custom is on holy days (and at other times also, _if
there be communicants_) to _say mass_, (not to say a Lord's Supper,) and
those who desire it, receive the Lord's Supper." Subsequently, however,
great changes were made in the public ceremonies attendant on the Lord's
Supper, and Luther in his Smalcald Articles rejects the mass entirely,
both the name and accompanying ceremonies. And soon after the whole
Lutheran church followed him. Still, if the Augsburg Confession were
_strictly binding on us_, we should be under the necessity of adopting
on sacramental occasions all the public ceremonies then and now usual in
the Romish Church in celebrating public mass." Here again we see the
following points, which were clearly proved above: 1. That the Augsburg
Confession denies having rejected the mass. 2. That she does reject
those doctrinal errors which gave rise to the Romish mass. 3. That it
was their custom on public occasions (when persons were present who
desired to commune) to say a mass, and then administer the sacrament to
them. 4. That the Confession explicitly asserts that "_no perceptible
change_" had been made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except the
introduction of German hymns along with the Latin ones in several
places. Hence the inference would necessarily follow, that if they had
made no perceptible change in the public ceremonies of the mass, we
could make none, if the Confession was _strictly binding_ on us: and as
the ceremonies of the Romish mass are the same now as then, the
ceremonies which the Confession prescribes are the same as those now
observed in the church, and if we obeyed the Confession, we should have
to perform the same without any "_perceptible_" difference, except the
addition of German hymns along with the Latin, which were at that time
used in the Lutheran Church. These, Luther for sometime himself
defended, as it is certain he did the elevation of the host, (but not
for adoration,) till 1542, more than _twenty years_ after he commenced
the Reformation. Those who object to these statements confound the
teachings of the Confession with the _subsequent practice of Luther and
the churches_; yea, it has appeared to us, in the course of our recent
examinations on these subjects, that the Augsburg Confession was not
even up to the progress of reform attained by churches at that day, and
this may be one reason why Luther told Melancthon he had yielded too
much to the Papists in the Confession. In our Lutheran Manual, we have
simply presented the article of the Confession in full, in
juxtaposition with the Smalcald Article, treating of the same subject;
and have done so without note or comment, except the remark, that the
latter refutes the tolerant views of the mass expressed in the former.
We can, therefore, see no inconsistency between what we have published
on this subject at distant intervals, certainly much less than might
have occurred to the most careful and conscientious writer, on a
subject so closely connected with the fluctuations of language.
Doubtless, by taking detached portions of a paragraph apart from the
limitations connected with them, and falsely imputing sinister motives
to almost every sentence, it in possible to make the most correct author
contradict himself and misrepresent his subject; but with such men,
whether their misrepresentations arise from deliberate design or
inveterate general habit, we cannot consent to debate. The injury done
is rather to the cause of Christ and of truth than ourselves, and we can
well afford to commit the case for adjudication to that Omniscient
Being, "who judgeth righteously."

Note 1. See Luther's Works, Leipsic ed., Vol. xxi, pp. 447, 448.

Note 2. See Luther's letter to Prince George in his Works, Vol. xxi.,
p. 430.

Note 3. Vol. iii., p. 114.

Note 4. See Murdock, Edition of Moshiem's History, Vol. iii, page 53,
Harper's edition.

Note 5. Fuhrmann's Lexicon, Vol. iii., p. 3.

Note 6. Siegel's Manual, Vol. iii., p. 362.

Note 7. Ibid, p. 366.

Note 8. Ibid, p. 375.

Note 9. Luther's Works, Vol. xxii., p. 233-37.

Note 10. Ibid, p. 237.

Note 11. Ibid, p. 240.

Note 12. Ibid. p. 338.

Note 13. Luther's Works, Vol. xix., p. 666.

Note 14. Ibid., Vol. xx., p. 3.

Note 15. Luther's Works, Vol. xx., p. 195.

Note 16. Ibid., p. 257.

Note 17. Luther's Works, Vol. xxi., p. 63.

Note 18. The edition from which all our translations of Melancthon's
Letters are made is that of Niemeyer, published at Halle, in 1830,
entitled Philip Melancthon in Jahre der Augsburgischen Confession.

Note 19. Niemeyer's Melancthon, pp. 41-43.

Note 20. Ibid., p. 56.

Note 21. Niemeyer's Melancthon, p. 71.

Note 22. Niemeyer's Melancthon, p. 76.

Note 23. Niemeyer, p. 90, 91.

Note 24. Koethe's Melancthon's Works, Vol. I., p. 263.

Note 25. Ibid., p. 265.

Note 26. Ibid., p. 267.

Note 27. Luther's Works, Vol. XX., p. 199.

Note 28. Pfeiffer's Augapfel, second edit., p. 1045.

Note 29. Ibid. p. 1048.

Note 30. Pfeiffer's Aug. Appel., second edit., p. 1050.

Note 31. See the Lutheran Manual, p. 288, and Muller's Symb. Bucher,
p. 51.

Note 32. See Lutheran Manual, p. 289.

Note 33. Plea, &c., p. 15.

Note 34. Lutheran Manual, pp. 288, 289, and Muller's Symb. pp. 51, 52,
53.

Note 35. Pfeiffer's Augapfel, 2d ed., p. 1045.

Note 36. Mueller's Symb. Books, pp. 248, 249.

Note 37. Koethe's Melancthon's Werke, Vol. i., p. 250.

Note 38. Luther's Works, Leipsic ed., Vol. xxii., p. 338.


CHAPTER VI.
OF PRIVATE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION.

This rite, in any sense of the term, that can be given to it in the
Augsburg Confession and other former symbols of the Lutheran church,
has long since been abandoned throughout our church in Europe,
excepting in that small portion of German churches, known as Old
Lutherans, and among those foreigners in the west of our country, who
constitute the Missouri Synod. It is historically unjust to apply the
term _private_ confession to that public confession of sins, made by
the congregation collectively, as part of our preparatory exercises
on sacramental occasions, and usually a misnomer to apply the name
private confession, to the habit of some of our German ministers,
(termed Anmeldung,) of having all communicants call on them for
conversation on their spiritual state, prior to sacramental communion.
Although these customs both grew out of private confession properly so
called, neither of them retains its essential elements.

Let us first inquire _what does the Augsburg Confession mean by the
phrase Private Confession_. Among the Romanists, _Auricular_
Confession is that rite, in which every individual of both sexes must,
at least once a year, appear before the priest at the confession box
in the church or chapel, and confess in detail all the sins that he
can recollect; after which, the priest assigns the penitent some acts
of penance, and on his promising to perform them, he then, as in the
stead of God, professes to forgive him his sins. The Reformers, however,
distinctly rejected the necessity of the penitents enumerating his
individual sins, and the propriety of the minister's prescribing any
penance to the penitent. They also distinctly made confession optional
with the penitent, and the absolution dependent on his faith; and this
purified rite they termed _Private_ Confession, although in some parts
of the church it was still called Auricular Confession (Ohrenbeicht).
[Note 1] The manner in which this rite was performed in the Lutheran
Church, is thus described by _Funk_ in his work entitled
"Kirchenordnungen of the first century of the Lutheran Church in
Germany," in which he presents the results of thirty of the _oldest_
Lutheran Formulas of Church Discipline and Worship. "Absolution was
received _privately_, by each one _individually, kneeling_ before the
_confessional_, the confessor _imposing his hands_ at the time. Private
confession was given only _in the church_, in which the confessional
was so located _near the pulpit_, that _no other person could be near,
or hear what was said_ by the penitent." [Note 2]

But

I. What does the Platform teach in regard to _this Private Confession?_
The Platform teaches, 1. That it was retained by the Augsburg
Confession and other symbolical books. 2. It is objected to by the
Platform, as unauthorized by the Word of God. 3. And thirdly, as being
inconsistent with the fundamental doctrine of the Reformation, that
_faith it the only condition_ of the justification or pardon of the
sinner.

II. What does the Plea object to these positions?

1. That the impression might be made by the Platform, that the Lutheran
doctrine has some affinity to the Romish doctrine of Auricular
Confession. But the Platform expressly states the rejection of
_Auricular_ Confession by the Reformers, and their retention of what
they called private confession in its stead, the latter differing from
the former as above stated. The Plea next introduces a formula of
absolution, used in Wittenberg, in 1559, to show the harmlessness of the
rite. But here, unfortunately, if we are not entirely mistaken, our
friend has overlooked the fact, that it is a formula for _public_, and
_not private_ confession which he cites. This is certain from the
language throughout, being addressed "_to all such as are here
present_," &c. It is well known that _private_ confession was rejected
in the Lutheran Church in Denmark and Sweden in the beginning, as well
as by different portions of Germany at an early day, and a public or
general confession adopted in its stead. In Luther's Short Directory
for Confession, &c., [[Note 3] tr. note: there is no note number in the
original to go with the corresponding footnote, but this appears to be
where it should go] we have his formula for _private_ or individual
absolution, which will convey to the reader a more correct idea of its
form: After the directions for confession of sins; the

Confessor says: "_God be merciful to thee and strengthen thy faith.
Amen_."

"_Dost thou believe that my remission of thy sins is God's remission?_

Answer of the penitent: "_Yes, dear sir, I do_."

Then the confessor says: "_According to thy faith, so be it unto thee.
And I, by command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive thee thy sins, in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Depart in
peace_."

Another specimen of private absolution we find in the Kirchenordnung,
[Note 4] or Church Directory of Count _Wolfgang_, of the Palatinate,
on the Rhine, &c., published in Nuernberg, 1557.

"The Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be gracious
and merciful to thee, and will pardon all thy sins, for the sake of his
dear Son Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for them. And in the name
of this, our Lord Jesus Christ, by his command, and in virtue of his
declaration, 'Whose sins ye remit they am remitted,' &c., _I pronounce
thee free and clear of all thy sins_, that they shall all be forgiven
thee, as certainly and completely, as Jesus Christ by his sufferings and
death merited the same, and in his gospel has commanded it to be
preached to all the world. Receive, therefore, this consoling promise,
which I have now made to thee in the name of the Lord Christ, let thy
conscience be at rest, and do thou confidently believe, that thy sins
are assuredly forgiven thee, for Christ's sake, in the name of the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen."

2. The Plea affirms, that private confession may be useful as a means
of bringing the, members of the church into personal interview with
their pastor. The advantage of such interviews we freely admit; but
they can be and are secured in our churches without this rite; and as
it is confessedly destitute of Scripture authority, we have no right to
invent a _new ordinance_ in Christ's church for any purpose.

3. The Plea maintains that explanation of "the power of the Keys,"
which authorizes a minister to pronounces absolution of sins, and
appeals to Matth. xviii. 18, "Whatsoever ye shall bind one arth," [sic]
&c. But the previous context "tell it to the _church_" &c., clearly
shows that it refers to church discipline, and signifies "whatever acts
of discipline ye enact in regard to such an individual, I will ratify in
heaven." But this has no bearing on private confession and absolution.
The other passage from John, xx. 23, "Whosoever's sins ye remit," &c.,
was uttered on a different occasion, after the Saviour's resurrection;
and either refers to a miraculous power bestowed on the apostles, to
discern the condition of the heart, and to announce pardon to those
whom they knew to be truly penitent and believing; or it confers on the
ministry, in all ages, the power to announce _in general_ the
conditions on which God will pardon sinners. But it contains no
authority to uninspired ministers to apply these promises to
individuals, the condition of whose hearts they cannot know, as is done
in private absolution.

III. We therefore feel constrained to maintain the positions of the
Platform on this subject also.

1. _That private confession and absolution were inculcated by the
Augsburg Confession_, is so evident, that it cannot be successfully
denied. Nor is this done only in the Abuses Corrected, as the Plea
seems to suppose, p. 20. In Art. XI. of the Confession, we read: "In
regard to confession, they teach, _that private absolution ought to be
retained in the church;_ but that an enumeration of all our
transgressions is not requisite to confession."

In the _Apology [Note 5] to the Confession_, Melancthon employs this
language: "Wherefore it would be _impious_ to take away private
absolution from the church." (Quare impium esset, &c.) _Luther_, in the
Smalcald Articles, Art. VIII., says, confession and absolution ought _by
no means_ be abolished in the church, &c., (Nequaquam in ecclesia
confessio et absolutio abolenda est, &c.;) and he is speaking of
_private_ confession.

The Romish alleged Refutation of the Augsburg Confession, on the above
cited Art. XI., thus expresses its approbation: "This article (Art.
XI.) that private and special absolution should remain, and be
preserved in the churches is _Catholic_. Yet two things must be required
of them, (of the Reformers,) that both men and women should attend
confession at least once a year, &c.; secondly, to confess all the sins
you _can_ recollect." [Note 6]

_Dr. Plank_, in his celebrated and elaborate History of the Origin and
Changes of the Protestant Doctrinal System, [Note 7] speaking of the
negotiations between the Reformers and Papists during the Diet of
Augsburg, says, "On the subject of the Confessional _there was an entire
agreement_, for they (the Reformers) had declared that they regarded
Confession as a very useful institution, and had no idea of suffering it
to fall, and also regarded it as good, that the people should be
accustomed to confess their sins," viz., at the confessional.

_Siegel_, in his Manual of Christian Ecclesiastical Antiquities,
[Note 8] after stating that Luther rejected _Auricular_ Confession, as a
sacrament, and a means of oppressing the conscience, adds: "But, on the
other hand, Luther was as unwilling as Melancthon, to have _private
confession_ abolished, and the latter had, in his Loci Theologici,
pronounced private absolution to be as necessary as baptism." In regard
to confession in the Lutheran Church of Germany, the fact is, that
private confession, which the Reformers so earnestly recommended, is
almost entirely abandoned and changed into a general (and public)
confession, which may with more propriety be termed preparatory services
to the Lord's Supper."

Finally, we will add the testimony of only one more witness, _Prof.
Jacobson_, in the excellent _Theological Encyclopedia of Dr. Herzog_,
now in progress of publication in Germany, who says, "Whilst the
compulsory part of the institution (private confession,) fell to the
ground, each one was left to judge whether and how much he would
confess. The institution itself _was retained_, and _private
confession_ especially recommended. The Augsburg Confession presupposes
it (private confession,) _as the rule:_" Our custom is not to give the
sacrament to those who have not first been confessed and absolved;" and
the Smalcald articles [sic] teach that Confession and
Absolution must by no means be allowed to be omitted in the church."
[Note 9]

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