Charles A. Stork came of a line of preachers. His grandfather, Carl August Gottlieb Storch, had been sent from Germany in the year 1788, as a missionary to the Lutheran Church in North Carolina, where he labored faithfully until his death in 1831. He bequeathed his calling and his devotion to the ministry, together with his name Gottlieb (anglice Theophilus) to his youngest son, Theophilus Stork, who in his turn handed them down to his own eldest son, named after his grandfather, Charles Augustus Stork.
“There are many of us who believe; we are convinced; but our souls do not take fire at contact with the truth. Happy he who not only believes, but believes with fire.
“It is not necessary to suppose that Dr. Stork believed the truths of the Gospel, which he loved to preach, more deeply than others of his brethren; but his was that happy constitution of soul which, when it embraces a truth, embraces it with ardor and believes it with energy.
“…Even after the Seminary was established at Gettysburg, systematic and sustained, but covert, attack upon the Symbolical Books was made. The result was that the books were not regarded with favor by many of the ministers and students, and very many did not accept the doctrine of the sacraments as taught in the Lutheran Church.
“This continued to be the state of affairs for many years. There were some that were true Lutherans despite these adverse circumstances.
In 1893 an attempt was made by liberal elements in the General Synod to remove Dr. Luther Gotwald from Wittenberg Seminary. He was said to be guilty of teaching the Augsburg Confession as, “a correct expression or exhibition of fundamental divine truth”.
The record of the attacks against this conservative Lutheran makes riveting reading and speaks directly to the battles faithful Christians face from within the church.
Book Contents Preface.
“This weightiest chapter ever penned by Inspiration yields up its lessons best when literally understood, and when explained by the laws of common sense. In this volume the author has sought to show not only how false is the assertion that modern scientific discoveries refute the Mosaic accounts of the Creation, Fall and Deluge, but that they marvelously corroborate and impregnably fortify these oldest archives of our world’s history.
Many people have opinions about Martin Luther, but few have actually read his words. This small volume includes what church scholars Henry Wace and C. A. Buchheim consider Luther’s three primary works. These are the Address to the Nobility of the German Nation, Concerning Christian Liberty and On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. The famous 95 Theses are here too, as well as two helpful introductions, one theological, and the other historical.
The only way to be certain that we understand conversion and salvation correctly is to go to the Bible. This is what pastor Gerberding does in this excellent book.
On This Page Fanaticism Coldness Book Chapters Download the eBook Publication Information Fanaticism “Why, then, a new book of sermons on conversion?
”…here is a whole host of would-be evangelizers. They seem to consider it their special mission and commission to “convert sinners.
“A good deal is said in these days about how to preach. In the days of Christ and Paul, what to preach seemed of vastly more importance. How to listen, what preparation of mind and heart is needful, what attitude toward the truth, what appreciation of the truth, these are more important questions than extempore or written preaching. Take heed how ye hear, is a divine injunction; take heed how ye preach, is a human command.
The Burning Of The Old Lutheran Church, On The Night Of September 27th, 1854, a message delivered In The Evangelical Lutheran Church, Winchester, Va., The Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity, 1854.
Writes Dr. Krauth:
“To the blessed Three, the Undivided One, they reared this house…It is consecrated…to our Evangelical Religion only. They did not simply say, We consecrate it to religion, (though that would have been enough if none were in error as to what religion is,) for even the Pagan calls his dark superstition religion; not simply ‘to the Christian religion,’ for the Mormon calls his beastly materialism the Christian religion; but they used that definite term which placed their meaning beyond question, just as they found it necessary amid the “gods many and lords many,” to say not simply ‘to God,’ but to ‘the one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Ruth forsook father and mother, country and friends, to cast in her lot with the people of God, and her name is linked with that of the greatest king of Israel, and with that of the great Redeemer of mankind. In her noble act of self-sacrifice she honored God; and God, in accordance with His promise, honored her. No one ever lost anything by being true to God. He is able to reward His faithful servants, and He does reward them liberally.
“When the minister comes from the altar, he must not forget that he now bears a message from the Lord to the waiting congregation. It is not a prayer; it is not man’s word; it is in no sense a subordinate act. It is the Lord’s own explicit word, and man is the entrusted messenger.”
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