In That Day | Comfort for Christians

In That Day | Comfort for Christians:


"In That Day
15 May 2018 in Devotions on Martin-luther-1483-1546, Sanctification

From Devotional Readings From Luther’s Works For Every Day Of The Year compiled by Rev. John Sander. LutheranLibrary.org edition in preparation.

There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; mens hearts failing them for fear. Luke 21:25, 26.

The signs preceding the judgment day are many and great. They will all be fulfilled, even though none or very few men take note of or esteem them as such. Two things must take place according to the Word and prophecy of Christ and the apostles: first, many and great signs will be made manifest; second, the last day will come unawares; the world will not expect it, even though that day be at the door. Though men see those signs and be told that they are signs of the last day, still they will not believe. Some, indeed, will see it and it will be those who least expect it. That there will be such security and indifference among men we prove from the words of Christ and the apostles. Christ says: “Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare, for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of the earth.”

From these words it is clear that men in great measure will give themselves over to surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that, drowned as it were in these things, they will rest secure and continue to dwell on the earth as if the dreadful day were far away. For were there no such security and heedlessness, that day would not break in unawares. But he says it will come as a snare by which birds and beasts are caught at a time when most concerned about their food and least expecting to be entrapped. In this figure he gives us clearly to understand that the world will continue its carousing, eating and drinking, building and planting, and diligently seeking after earthly things, and will look upon the day of judgment as yet a thousand and more years off, when, in the twinkling of an eye, they may stand before the terrible judgment bar of God. Whatever other signs may appear before Christ’s coming, I know that, according to Christ’s words, surfeiting and drunkenness, building and planting, buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage and other cares of this life will be in evidence."



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Note - Historic St. John Lutheran Church Is Just North Of - Across 145 - Historic Trinity Lutheran LCMS, Milwaukee

 WELS kicked Historic St. John Lutheran Church out of the synod over an act of petty vandalism. Under Mirthless Mark Schroeder, they stole it back - with the endowment. The last I heard, they still had two members.

 We can give you a deal on the rental fees.

 St. John is possibly more beautiful than Trinity was.

Mark and Avoid Jeske wanted to buy this altar at one time, long ago, when he was high church instead of clown church.

Destroying the Foundations of Biblical Study. Rebuilding the Foundations

Many posts come from discussions with readers. Today I show how the foundations of Biblical study have been destroyed by the Evangelicals and Lutherans. But they can be repaired.

 Tischendorf was a con artist who manipulated the facts to make himself a great hero.

Text Criticism of the New Testament, aka Lower Criticism
The foundation - in the modern age - came from Count Tischendorf and the Wescott/Hort team. These three men led the field in creating a pseudo-science of text critcism with their own ideas, which are really assumptions. This field of study centers on the New Testament.

For example, one assumption - which they call a rule - is that the shorter reading is better than the longer one. But that does not bear the weight of a few questions. A story can be shortened or lengthened by retelling it. Length does not change its veracity.

Another assumption is that the more difficult reading for traditional Christians is the better one. That means one account is more factual and mythical elements were added over time. So a miraculous healing began as someone thinking he was sick, then thinking he was healthy after meeting Jesus. The rationalists like Mark's Gospel, because they think Mark is early.

A third assumption is that the mass of manuscripts preserved by the Greek, Byzantine Church are inferior to the ones discovered and promoted by Count Tischendorf. The eevul Orthodox Greeks must have suppressed the good ones that the Count found and promoted.

The Bible is better preserved than any other ancient text of any kind, and we have earlier versions of the Bible than we do of more modern books.  However, the modern translations follow Tischendorf, Wescott, and Hort. The KJV Bibles (older and newer) do not.

Canon Criticism
Jews and Christians have regarded the books of their traditions as canonical, rejecting the other ones as questionable. Making a big study of this leads the apostates to say with glee, "There could be 20 books in the entire Bible - or 100! It is not God's Word to man, but man's word about God."

Scepticism fuels canon criticism, and canon criticism supports scepticism - as long as the facts are concealed. An apostate will seize upon any factoid to support his attitude that the Bible is just one more religious book.

 "Charlotte, vas dat your knee?"
The Great Barth at work - teaching the Bible contains the Word of God. He conveniently erased the Sixth Commandment.

Higher Criticism - The Historical-Critical Method - HCM
All Biblical "scholarship" today is concentrated in the Historical-Critical Method, which by definition treats the Bible as any other book.

That means every issue is debatable.

1. Did Paul write Romans? Did he hate women? Rather - how much did he hate women? 
2. Did Jesus ever consider Himself divine? 
3. When did the Trinity really develop as dogma - and how did that change the original New Testament texts?
4. How do we separate the mythical from the historical in the Bible?
5. How did Hellenistic philosophy influence the Gospel of John?
6. How did Paul turn Jesus the Rabbi into the Son of God?
7. Etc. etc. etc. So much baloney and it gets far worse with the HCM gurus supporting the Lavender Mafia.

The old mainline schools like Princeton and Yale were orthodox a century or more ago. Now all the university departments and seminaries are 100% HCM.

Fuller Seminary is the dedicated to this modernism and remains the guiding light of Protestantism - especially the "conservative" Lutherans: LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic). Roman Catholics are HCM and Eastern Orthodox do not care.

How To Repair the Foundations
I am an expert in desserts, after growing up in a bakery and enjoying between-the-snacks snacks all day long. Donuts and cookies make someone hungry for cookies and donuts, which is why we took food breaks.

We ate real meals away from the bakery. Nothing kills an appetite for donuts, cookies, and candy like meat, potatoes, vegetables, and salad.

The only way to fix the problem among Lutherans is to return to the text, in Hebrew where possible, in Greek often. All the theories have been published and they will be recycled every few years. The only certainty we have, as Nils Dahl stated in class, is "The text!"

 Nils Dahl studied under Bultmann and debated Bultmann's assumptions - Dahl taught "The Text!"

The Text!
Ministers should be studying the text of the Bible (not helper books written by synod simpletons) and the laity should be as studious. That alone will kill the appetite for corn sugar candy delivered by the religious press. It also prevents the foothold false doctrine is always seeking.

NT Greek
Greek is easy to learn and to teach. The WELS pastors are supposedly infallible, as Tim Glende claimed, because "They. Study. Greek!" Why not teach Greek to their children and also the congregation? Not everyone wants to learn NT Greek, but why hold back?

What a difference, to study the actual text and compare parallel verses? All the text-based scholarly books make sense - Lenski, Kittel, dictionaries, etc.

The English language is formed from Greek, Latin, and German, which are also the theological languages. At the very worst, a language education will make someone far more appreciative of our English language, medicine, law, and science terms.

The Quia Marias talk about the Confessions. Do they teach the text of the Confessions? I doubt it.

Here is a beautiful church sign:

NT Greek Taught Here

Book of Concord Lessons

The Vulgate is not vulgar - Learn Latin

Yes indeed, this Age belongs to the Ignorant, the Greedy, and the Self-Deluded, but we do not need to surrender to them without a fight. The best weapon is the Word, sharper than any two-edged sword.

Photos of Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, LCMS - Before the May 15, 2018 Fire

Initial reports of the May 15, 2018 fire can be found here.

 A description of the Trinity Lutheran Church Buidling is here.

 The organ is irreplacable. Congregational website.

 Wikipedia article and links.

Fire breaks out at downtown Milwaukee church - TMJ4 Milwaukee, WI

Fire breaks out at downtown Milwaukee church - TMJ4 Milwaukee, WI:

 Trinity is the mother church of Lutheranism in Milwaukee, its congregation having been organized in 1847. Ceremonies on July 7, 1878, marked the laying of the cornerstone, and Trinity Lutheran was consecrated April 11, 1880. Cost of the church, including all furnishings, glass, and organ, was $43,500.

Trinity Church is a highly decorative and vigorous example of the Victorian Gothic style. The interior is notable for the broad spaciousness of its vaulted auditorium and for the extraordinarily fine craftsmanship of its wooden trim, fittings, and furnishings. Particularly remarkable are the sweeping staircase in the north tower, the organ casing, the lofty, canopied pulpit, the altarpiece, and the doors.

"Crews were called out to 1046 N. 9th Street, which is Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

• Chopper 4 Video: Spire Collapses During Downtown Church Fire"

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----

Follow Up

"We did have one when they were remodeling this building right there -- it did go to a third alarm. I did talk to (the City of Milwaukee's Department of Neighborhood Services) who handled building inspection and spoke to the pastor of the church -- so the church is fully remodeled three or four years ago. Whenever you have a large wooden structure and fire, that's always a concern," said Smith.

Smith said it's too early to say where the fire started. He said the initial call was for a fire on the roof at 3:45 p.m.

Smith said firefighters weren't going inside "for safety and the fear of collapse."

"We're gonna fight this fire from the exterior before we even attempt to get in the building," said Smith.

There was no damage to any other buildings, and no other businesses had to be shut down, but fire personnel were stationed at some surrounding businesses out of precaution.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated State Historic Site. The building was declared a Milwaukee landmark in 1967, a State Historical Landmark in 1979 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

A Great Hymn of Encouragement - And Not from Paul Gerhardt!

 This hymn is sometimes called the hymn Paul Gerhardt did NOT write, but could have written. So let's celebrate George Newmark.

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Neumark.htm

Georg Neumark (Hymn-Writer, Composer)

Born: March 16, 1621 - Langensalza, Thuringia, Germany Died: July 18, 1681 - Weimar, Germany

Georg Neumark was educated at the Gymnasiums in Schleusingen and Gotha. He received his certificate of dimission from the latter in September 1641. He left Gotha in the autumn of 1641, along with a number of merchants going to the Michaelmas Fair at Leipzig. He then joined a similar party going from Leipzig to Lübeck, planning to proceed to Königsberg and enroll at the university there. After passing through Magdeburg, they were attacked by bandits on the Gardelegen Heath, who robbed Neumark of all he had with him, except his prayer book and a little money sewed up in his clothes. Georg Neumark returned to Magdeburg, but could not find a job there, nor in Lüneburg, Winsen, or Hamburg, to which in succession the friends he made passed him on. In the beginning of December he went to Kiel, where he found a friend in Nicolaus Becker, a fellow Thuringian and then chief pastor at Kiel. Day after day passed without an opening, till about the end of the month the tutor in the family of judge Stephan Henning fell into disgrace and fled from Kiel. On Becker’s recommendation, Neumark got the job, and this sudden end of his anxieties was the occasion of the writing of his hymn Wer nur den lieb­en Gott lässt walten. Georg Neumark passed the time happily in the Henning home until he had saved enough to proceed to Königsberg, where he enrolled June 21, 1643, as a law student. He remained five years, also studying poetry under Dach and maintaining himself as a family tutor. During this time (in 1646) he again lost all his belongings, this time by fire. In 1648 he left Königsberg, was for a short time in Warsaw, and spent 1649-1650 at Thorn. He was then in Danzig, and September 1651 in Hamburg. By the end of 1651 he had returned to Thuringia, and was noticed by Duke Wilhelm II of Sachse-Weimar, the president of the Fruitbearing Society, the principal German literary organization in the 17th Century. The Duke, apparently in 1652, appointed Neumark as court poet, librarian, and registrar of the administration at Weimar; and finally secretary of the Ducal Archives. In September 1653 Neumark was admitted as a member of the Fruitbearing Society, of which he became secretary in 1656. In 1679, he also became a member of the Pegnitz Order. In 1681, he went blind, but was permitted to keep his posts until he died.

"If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee"
by Georg Neumark, 1621-1681
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. If thou but suffer God to guide thee
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the Rock that naught can move.

2. What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

3. Be patient and await His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And His discerning love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

4. God knows full well when times of gladness
Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

5. Nor think amid the fiery trial
That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred.
Time passes and much change doth bring
And sets a bound to everything.

6. All are alike before the Highest;
'Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up, though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low.
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

7. Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
Perform thy duties faithfully,
And trust His Word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook in need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Hymn #518
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 55:22
Author: Georg Neumark, 1640
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Titled: "Wer nur den lieben Gott laesst walten"
Composer: Georg Neumark, 1640
Tune: "Wer nur den lieben Gott"

***

GJ - This is a great hymn for those going through a time of trial. The anniversary of the Reformation gave me plenty of reasons to be completely disgusted. The attitude of 100% of the Lutherans was - "Let's get this over with so we can ignore Luther with impunity."

An ELCA pastor teaching the deluded souls at a Jeske conference was a good example of this. She said, "I am already tired of the anniversary."

WELS/ELS cannot give up their position against Luther, because we all know - from these two sects only - that Sig Becker and JP Meyer were far superior to Luther in their theological insights from the Bible or wherever they found their theses.

Matt the Fatt's LCMS has stolen a march on the competition by publishing a catechism that gloriously explains - as Mrs. Matt did to me - that there is an Objective and a Subjective Justification - yes, everywhere but the Bible, Luther, and the Confessions. Thus the Oblates of Walther Immaculate have sealed the fate of their dying sect.

What troubles me is -

• Everyone has access to the English version of Luther's Bible - the King James Version, plus various KJV updates.
• The Book of Concord teaches Justification by Faith and commends Luther's Galatians Lectures.
• Various theologians have repudiated OJ/SJ.
• All the clergy have access to a wealth of theological and Scriptural books but show no inclination to deal with the issues.

The True Church by Emanuel Greenwald - Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry – "Faithful to the Reformation"

The True Church by Emanuel Greenwald - Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry – "Faithful to the Reformation":

PDF

Kindle

Early Kindles

EPUB (Apple, Kobo)

"About Emanuel Greenwald
“Emanuel Greenwald was born near Frederick, Maryland, Jan. 13, 1811, and was, like the prophet Samuel of old, dedicated by his pious parents to the holy office from his earliest infancy. His theological studies were pursued under the private supervision of Rev. David F. Schaeffer, who similarly prepared no less than fourteen other young men, in his own parsonage, for the work of the ministry.

“Dr. Greenwald’s first parish was New Philadelphia, Ohio, and all the adjoining country within a radius of fifteen miles in every direction. At one time he supplied fourteen preaching points on Sundays and week-days. In 1842 he was elected as the first editor of the Lutheran Standard, and from 1848 to 1850 he was the president of the English District Synod of Ohio.

“The years 1851 to 1854 were spent in the city of Columbus, during which time he held many responsible positions on important boards, committees, etc. In September, 1854, he accepted a call to the pastorate of Christ Church, Easton, Penn., which he faithfully served for twelve years. His fourth and last parish was Holy Trinity Church of Lancaster, Penn., in which he labored from May, 1867, up to his death in December, 1885. He began preaching every Thursday evening at a mission point in the northern part of the city, which soon developed into Grace Church, and afterwards started another mission in the western section which was the nucleus of Christ Church. An assistant being necessary for the increasing field, Rev. Charles S. Albert served in this capacity, then Rev. David H. Geissinger, then Rev. John Rumple, then Rev. C. Elvin Haupt, then Rev. Ezra K. Reed, then Rev. Charles L. Fry. Long after his own generation will his memory continue to be revered as an ideal pastor and a man of pre-eminent saintliness. C. L. F.1

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If thou but suffer God to guide thee | Comfort for Christians

George Neumark - inspired a Bach chorale.

If thou but suffer God to guide thee | Comfort for Christians:




"Lyrics Permalink
“If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee”
by Georg Neumark, 1621-1681
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

If thou but suffer God to guide thee
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength, whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the Rock that naught can move.

Be patient and await His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure
And His discerning love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
Perform thy duties faithfully,
And trust His Word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook in need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

2. What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

4. God knows full well when times of gladness
Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

5. Nor think amid the fiery trial
That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred.
Time passes and much change doth bring
And sets a bound to everything.

6. All are alike before the Highest;
‘Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up, though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low.
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.


Hymn #518 in The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 55:22
Author: Georg Neumark, 1640
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Titled: “Wer nur den lieben Gott laesst walten”
Composer: Georg Neumark, 1640
Tune: “Wer nur den lieben Gott”"

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Tis a Good Thing I Watered Key Flowers Yesterday. The Storm Is Coming - Has Arrived

 The upside-down Nuthatch was designed to make feeding from the bark that much easier. Likewise, squirrels are engineered to max their speed and ability in trees and designed with split image eye lenses to judge distance to my bird feeders. From Norma A. Boeckler

I used to depend on Mr. Gardener's weather reports, because Weather.com and Accuweather (sic) seldom agreed. Worst of all the weather sites overreport the next rain, which means we often see the storm sail on from Oklahoma to Eastern Arkansas.

When Mr. Gardener got on his riding mower and grimly cut down the growth of his lawn, as if the storm was about to break, I knew the rain was coming.

Yesterday I began by watering the enormous Cat Mint mound that started last year and decided 2018 was its leap year. The combination of mint roots and clay soil meant I wanted some soft soil to move most of it to the Butterfly Garden (the sunniest area) and to share with others. Ranger Bob has two cats and I told him how one comes over just to rub herself against the Cat Mint. Our dentist's mother also wants Cat Mint. Do not worry - I could start a business from that one mound and I have more besides.

I decided to soak most of the rose garden, just in case the "maybe rain" forecast turned out to be another fantasy. As Ishmael wondered in Moby Dick, "Did you ever feel like the whole world was a practical joke and you were the butt end of it?"

I heard thunder and rain last night, and the rain continues. The radar suggests that rain will continue today a bit, a prelude to rain tomorrow.

Ranger Bob, in spite of his work in landscaping, hates rainy days. However, I love to see a long, slow rain. Watering and then seeing the water bill can make anyone appreciate free rainwater expertly applied, packed with usable nitrogen compounds, lacking chlorine - God's best liquid fertilizer, guaranteed not to burn. However, flooding may occur.

Some organic gardening book probably calculates the fertilizer laid down by one rainstorm over several states. The amount of water itself is impossible to imagine.

Rain is like news, good and bad - I cannot control the rain, only what I do about it. Every plant serves to channel rain downward, which is very good, so that also means storing the water in its tissue. Every creature is mostly water and also stores the rain. A good rainstorm is captured by the growth of plants, bacteria, protozoa, mold, earthworms, and all soil creatures. The plants also build channels for the water to penetrate more deeply and be stored.

Some say "Boo hiss" when they hear about clay soil, but God made clay soil to hold a lot of water and to exchange mineral ions easily. When I am ankle deep in super-saturated clay mud and possibly falling over, I am not so keen on clay. Nevertheless, clay plus organic matter is the best foundation for most crops.

This is where I have to put in a good word for the God-created and wind-sown weeds - and the weeds squirrels work hard to plant and manage. Weeds are Guardians of the Soil (a classic work that will crush your bias against weeds). Weeds build the soil and hold it in place. They often have taproots that send rain water deep into the soil. Squirrels manage most of mine, by planting nuts where they will be watered most - under a rose bush. So cute, not. But I counter their trickery by cutting deep-rooted weeds at the soil level, a landscaper's trick. It uses no toxins, keeps the roots at work, and prevents the little trees from becoming a nut plantation.

 That is my Lowe's feeder, but not my photo.

Pleasant Surprises
Ranger Bob had too much storage on his property, so he asked, "Do you want a storage shed?" I always thought that would be great for gardening tools and convenience. Soon we were carrying it over from his place, and he was painting it white, black, and silver. He loves to paint.

When I spotted a roll-top desk, never used, in his barn, he offered to bring it over on his truck. Three of us could barely manage it, and it barely fit. He likes to work on cars and fix things, but hates paperwork. I help him with taxes and dealing with various bureaucrazies.

Someone was watching our service and a prayer was answered, so he wrong a long letter about it. There are so many consequences of broadcasting the Word - one never knows.

From Norma A. Boeckler

For Campanologists - The Love and Promotion of Church Bells

For More Information - See Church Mouse.

Mail Carrier Hands Out Advice on Growing Roses. One Way a Gardener Can Get Big Hips

 Creation Gardening - By Him Were All Things Made.

The warm weather has prompted a burst of rose blooms. First the wild roses bloomed in profusion - three of them. They have small, dark red flowers, so colorful that the mail carrier asked about them.

His daughter recently said, "I want to grow roses, but I do not know how." He told her, "I have a book for you, but you have to give it back." He smiled, because I gave him two copies of Creation Gardening.

The small, bargain roses are blooming. I think one is called Home Run. The veteran Easy Does It rose began blooming on Saturday, but just for color - short stems so far. I need some longer stems for the vase.

Buckwheat is getting even for being mowed down last summer. It engulfed the roses to such an extent that our Laotian neighbors laughed and pointed at my rose buckwheat garden. The buckwheat plants grew so tall, they covered the Lincoln (very tall) roses. Buckwhat is sensitive to cold, but many seeds survived the winter. They tend to exclude weeds, so I am going to let them have their way for now.

Hostas are gained in two ways. The tiny ones I planted last fall are popping out of the ground, so my despair is disipating. The established ones from the backyard and Mrs. Gardener's are in great shape and ready to bloom in the rose garden this year. I have permission to thin out her hostas, so I will spread more around when I get a good idea about the survival of the little ones.

People think a front yard of roses is odd, but people ask about it all the time. No one drives up to a yard and says, "Is that grass?"

 The hybrid teas were not ready for vases, so I bought a dozen roses just for the neighbors - $10 at Walmart.

Roses for Mother's Day
This is the third year I gave roses to each neighbor on our cul-de-sac for Mother's Day. Our SuperMom got a big bunch - she has four daughters, which I call the Esses. S1 played with Sassy, then S2, and now S3 fusses over her. The baby is not quite ready for Sassy's barking and kissing, but that may develop when the dog to child ration changes.

Ranger Bob takes flowers to the cemetery as often as he can, so Sassy and I took the other bunch of flowers to his house. We prayed for John and Pat in church - she got her rose. Another rose went to a police officer's wife a few blocks away.

 Rugosa for rag-like leaves. I don't see that either.
But they are easy to grow and enjoy.

Rugosa Roses Will Give the Gardener Big Hips
The old-fashioned roses have fewer blooms but larger hips (the seed-pod or fruit of the rose). I got some rugosa roses from Direct Gardening and put them where they had rather poor light and eratic watering. I transplanted the rose this spring and it burst into bloom.

Rugosa roses are as tough as they come, so I may get more in the future.

 Home Run - early color.

Do Not Stand So Close to the Excavation

 We knew Jaroslav Pelikan at Yale. Soon after, I met his father and brother in Cleveland.

Questions come in from people who are being swindled by the UOJ hoaxers. The situation reminds me of Pastor Pelikan, father of the Luther scholar, who was doing the commital at the grave site. Just as he was finishing, he felt the earth give way. He deftly jumped across and landed on solid ground.

At the next funeral, the family asked him, "Pastor Pelikan, will you do the graveside ceremony of leaping over the grave for us?"

Professor Pelikan said, "That is how quickly traditions get established."

The UOJ hoaxers try to pull the innocent into their traps by quoting Luther selectively. One must always remember - Spinning a new doctrine from a brief quotation is bound to be deceptive and wrong.

An example of this can be found in the 50 page bloviation of Jay Webber, trying to make Luther an advocate of Halle's Objective Justification - Universal Forgiveness without Faith.

 The improvement gang and correction guys want to take us as far away from the Gospel as they are. They do not trust the efficacy of the Word.

"Jesus Is All Forgiveness" and "You Are Already Forgiven"
Naturally we should start with the Gospel of John, the Epistles of Paul, Genesis 15, or anywhere in the Bible.

But they pull out these Luther quips to build their case, like the time I stacked book boxes on empty cardboard boxes to keep the books dry. The basement floor became wet and the foundation crumbled, tumbling the book boxes into the water. Thus Webber and his coven of ignorant, false teachers tumble into the swamp they have constructed for everyone else.

So let us start with Luther since they want to lead with their weakest hand. What was Luther arguing against? Answer - the Roman Catholic dogma of faith requiring works to satisfy God, not that all the works in the world are enough. 

Opposing the papal portrayal of Jesus as an angry, vengeful Judge, Luther repeated the Johannine portrait of Jesus - He has died for all our sins, so trust that He is all forgiveness.

What is sin in the Teaching of Jesus? The Spirit will convict the world of sin - "because they believe not on Me."

Basic Luther
Since everyone claims a quia subscription to the Book of Concord, let's give the Quia Marias a lesson from the Confessions. The Formula of Concord commended Luther's Galatians Lectures for further study of Justification by Faith. Webber mentioned the work but clearly has never read it, and certain has not understood it if he did.

Basic Paul
If St. Paul teaches Justification without Faith, parallel with Justification by Faith, he contradicts himself and Genesis 15.

 This Luther refuted Objective Justification before OJ was belched forth from Huber the Calvinist Lutheran or the Halle Pietists (Lutheran style/Calvinist substance).

Really Basic Biblical Doctrine
What we call Lutheran doctrine is simply what the Scriptures teach. The Holy Spirit works through the Word and only through the Word, so there is no magical poof where everyone in the world is forgiven and saved without faith. When they define their magical poof, they contradict each other, reminding us of how the UOJists hate each other and scrap like junkyard dogs fighting over a wounded rat. Poof! - when Jesus died? when Jesus rose? when the angels announced His birth?

Applying filters for "understanding" the Word - that comes from the Pope and his legion of followers, from Calvin and his confused disciples.

No wonder the graduates of the Concordia Seminaries either run to Rome and the others align with Fuller Seminary. It depends on which dogmatic foundation seems most appealing to the poor, misguided UOJists.