The Missouri Synod fabricates the CFW Walther saga, and they also spin the Bishop Stephan story.
This is a summary, based on reading in:
Zion on the Mississippi,
In Pursuit of
Servant of the Word, etc.
#1 - Bishop Stephan and his followers were orthodox Lutherans persecuted by the government for their doctrinal purity.
Fact - Stephan, his congregation, and his clergy followers were cell group Pietists. Stephan's congregation was given permission to engage in conventicles because of its history and original Bohemian (Pietistic) membership. Read up on the Zinzendorf connection.
#2 - Walther did not sign the covenant making Martin Stephan their bishop-for-life.
Fact - Walther signed it. Walther was the bishop's enforcer but Stephan mistrusted CFW and called him a "fox."
#3 - Walther and his clergy removed Stephan for false doctrine, a claim that contradicts #1.
Fact - Walther and the clergy accepted Stephan's religious leadership, and Walther's false concept of justification came directed from Stephan and never changed. Therefore, if Stephan was a false teacher all along (as any Lutheran would concede), then Walther was a false teacher the entire time.
#4 - Walther and the clergy suddenly found out about Stephan's adultery in America, when women confessed their sins after a particularly moving sermon.
Fact - Stephan was known for his female groupies in Dresden, lived with his mistress at the spa (where he was treated for syphilis), installed a young woman in a room in his parsonage, faced the court (represented by Marbach, Vehse) for his philandering and late night walks with young women, took his mistress rather than his wife to America, and created problems for having young women around him in St. Louis. One was Walther's young niece, whom Walther kidnapped.
#5 - The Saxons, once they found out about Stephan's adultery, offered him three choices, so he voluntarily left Perryville, Missouri for Illinois.
Fact - Walther's hand-picked mob threatened Stephan's life, stripped and searched him, stole all his gold, books, and personal possessions, then forced him at gunpoint across the Mississippi, probably on a steamer.
#6 - Stephan stole money as he left the group or had his mistress bring stolen money to him.
Fact - Walther and his mob stole from Stephan. First Walther manipulated the title to the 80 acres given to Stephan by the colony. (Kieschnick did something similar and became DP, the SP of the LCMS. They wanted a true Waltherian.) Leaving Stephan supporters in St. Louis, Walther brought the mob down to rob and depose Stephan. All the clergy leaders knew the bishop was a serial adulterer, and the two lawyers (Vehse, Marbach) defended the bishop in court back in Dresden. Mrs. Stephan testified about her husband's many affairs. The crisis in leadership had to be syphilis among the young women and the bankrupt state of the group from Stephan and clergy mismanagement.
#7 - The bishop's wife was at fault for his wandering ways - Walther, quoted in Servant of the Word.
Fact - This slander alone should suffice to prove how malicious Walther was. Stephan's syphilis killed his wife and led to many of his children being born severely damaged from congenital syphilis. You do not want to read about what this does to children. They were institutionalized and died young. Stephan had a dozen (12) children, so he did not appear to be neglected. David Scaer just fell off the beet wagon or he was ignorant of the facts. His review of the Stephan book has the advantage of apparent candor. Stephan was treated for eczema, says Scaer! When a man has children born with congenital syphilis, they can be deaf and have malformed teeth. Three of Stephan's children were born deaf.
All these facts can be sorted out by studying various accounts of the Saxon voyage. Stephan left from house arrest for his many crimes. Walther evaded arrest warrants for kidnapping. His future mother-in-law (who also helped with the Perryville riot) was thrown into jail for her part.
Thus far - the Human Nature of C. F. W. Walther, usurper extraordinaire.
