KJV Joel 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let
them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule
over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
SP Harrison and SP Schroeder have dropped the Cone of Silence on their synods, because they do not want people think they can discuss felonies out in the open, where future litigants can record the facts. That is why all victims and their families should get a specialist attorney and contact SNAP, not the synod, when abuse is uncovered.
WELS deception is habitual, and the Missouri Synod began with a pack of lies. Let me explain.
The man who founded the Missouri Synod was Bishop Martin Stephan, STD, not C. F. W. Walther. Stephan established a fanatical cult in Dresden, helped by inheriting his group from a radical Pietist who got his charges (like the Walther brothers) used to total domination. The first boss emphasized mortification of the flesh, the second one - Halle Justification - the whole world has already been declared forgiven.
This Pietistic circle's standing--despised renegades in a rationalistic state church--unified them. The first Pietistic bishop died one year after he finally received a call and moved away. One of the disciples inherited the dead man's fiance and married her. Likewise in America, Ottomar Fuerbringer married the widow (Buenger) of O. H. Walther. CFW inherited his brother's call, marrying another Buenger.
Walther derived power from Stephan, who insisted on being a tyrant from the beginning. Walther was his enforcer and made sure an exiled parson remained exiled. All this is in Zion on the Mississippi, in the beginning chapters. Just like the Synodical Conference (tm) today, there were only two acceptable attitudes toward Great Leader - agreement or apology. Remember that when visiting a DP or SP.
Bishop Stephan had his female groupies in Dresden, and everyone knew it. Lenski has this interesting note about the silly women who hang around false teachers, 2 Timothy 3:
Lenski:
We quote Jerome: “Simon Magus founded his heresy aided by the help of the strumpet Helena; Nicolaus Antiochenus, founder of all impurities, led a feminine bevy; Marcion also sent a woman ahead for greater excess; Apelles had Philomone as a companion; Montanus corrupted Prisca and Maximilla at first with gold, then polluted them with heresy; Arius, when he deceived the world, first deceived the sister of the ruler; Donatus was aided by the resources of Lucilla; blind Agape led blind Elpidius; Priscillianus was joined by Galla.”
We are unable to say how much dependence can be placed on this rather startling list. It can be put into the shade by modern instances. R., W. P., points to only two: the notorious Schweinfurth of some forty years ago with his “heavenly harem” in Illinois and the “House of David” exposed in the courts of Michigan.
He might have added Brigham Young with his Mormon polygamy. These are, however, the extreme cases. Much more to the point are the “religious cults” that purvey East Indian and other mysterious mysteries of the mystic order that are so attractive to wealthy ladies who lionize their leaders, and the proselyting heretical sects who make a specialty of creeping especially into Christian houses to make converts chiefly among religiously inclined women and actually winning so many.
Kretzmann pictures them as smooth, slick-talking religious agents with ingratiating, clinging methods, insidiously introducing themselves, often as fatherly confessor brothers with a high-grade spirituality and great sanctity, actually taking such women captive body and soul. Women are their special prey. Paul certainly prophesied truly. Such periods have come only too often.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon. Columbus, O. : Lutheran Book Concern, 1937, S. 825.
Lenski would have added the Church Growth leaders of today, who embrace married women and young girls as easily as they embrace false doctrine.
Stephan had total control of his fanatical cult. Everyone had to agree with him - no one taught the Word of God in Europe. That is why they had to leave. His disciples encouraged people to break up their families and divorce those who resisted the great Saxon migration. CFW and his brother kidnapped Walther's niece and nephew, taking some other minor children (without parents) along as well. They were Antinomians one and all, knowing they were following a blatant adulterer but counting him repentant or forgiven.
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| Attorney Vehse: LCMS Loyalists say his first-hand account is unreliable, so do not read it. Read their hagiographies instead. |
The recent Stephan book did not need to reveal all this, because Zion on the Mississippi published the facts rather dispassionately, often in painstaking detail, 65 years ago. The clergy around Stephan were the sub-leaders and the two lawyers, Marbach and Vehse, knew about the court dealings with Stephan's women and money issues.
Bishop Stephan left his ailing wife (syphilis, from him) and his disabled children (secondary syphilis) in Dresden while he sailed to America with his groupies, including the main mistress, Louis Guenther. He continued his scandalous behavior on the ship and in St. Louis, insisting on spending the cult's money on buying up land far away from the immoral heathen of St. Louis.
In America, money trouble and an outbreak of syphilis among the young women gave Walther the chance to take over Bishop Stephan's role by suddenly discovering the leader's adultery, thanks to the connivance of Walther's long-term friend. Zion admits the "confession" was a lie because everyone knew about the groupies...and Louise Guenther. She gave testimony about his adultery in Dresden, and so did Mrs. Stephan and other women. His lawyers in these trials were Marbach, Vehse, and another attorney.
If the spirochete doth fit, you cannot acquit. Stephan was treated for syphilis in Dresden, going to spas with Louise G. and talking long walks with various young women because he could not sleep (from his syphilitic rashes).
This is where the Stephan situation fits the Synodical Conference crisis today. The synodical leaders are still following the Walther template - lie, cover-up, and confuse everyone with sanctimony.
Meditate on the Eighth Commandment a minute, and what it really means. Fine.
This is how Walther explained Stephan's marital troubles - " somewhat confidentially." I imagine it is no longer in confidence, because CPH published it for the world to see. Notice how obedient Walther was to the Eighth Commandment.
August R. Suelflow:
Somewhat confidentially, Walther mentions that the Stephans had marital difficulties in Dresden, but that those loyal to Stephan in the immigration put most of the blame on Mrs. Stephan. Walther also relates that Stephan's doctrine [GJ - which Walther subscribed to] was not totally Lutheran, but had a strong element of Pietism.
[GJ - Imagine that! Walther participated in the cell groups or conventicles, in a congregation founded by Pietists for Pietists, known for its cell group ministry led by Stephan. Walther's previous association was in a cell group managed by another Pietist and a Bible study group led by a Pietist from Halle, as Stephan was.]
Servant of the Word: The Life and Ministry of C. F. W. Walther, CPH, 2001, p. 54.
There are many outright deceptions in Suelflow, hiding known facts and spinning each anecdote to show how the Great Walther was destined to be God's Man of the Hour.
In Europe, Walther escaped arrest by the police for kidnapping his own niece and nephew. But Suelflow wrote that when this kidnapper arrived in New Orleans:
God had great things in store for C. F. W. Walther in St. Louis. (Servant of the Word, p. 37)
Synodical Conference Today
Walther had no qualms about defrauding Stephan of his land, organizing a mob, stealing all of Stephan's gold and goods, and using Stephan's own chalice as CFW's prize in communion services at Trinity in St. Louis. How Walther must have gloated! Thieves love to treasure their trophies. He grabbed 40 acres of land from Stephan's son, too, and made life miserable for the young Stephan, who loyally served the LCMS.
But Missouri must be ashamed that they forced Stephan across the Mississippi at gunpoint and abandoned him with almost nothing to feed or clothe him - a rotten cabin, a few coins, and a couple of implements. Missouri never tells the truth about the big mob scene, the multiple felonies committed by the pious Pietists.
Tragically, Missouri will not repent of those crimes, return the stolen goods, make the Stephan family whole (as required by law), and change their Satanic tactics.
UOJ Antinomianism still rules.
