The Missouri Synod's Immaculate Conception

 

The Missouri Synod’s Immaculate Conception, 1847

Most people think the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod began in 1847, with Pastor CFW Walther as its leader.[1] They claim the noble Walther came to America to repristinate the country and rescue it from the loose doctrine of American Lutherans who were already established there. Some people are vaguely aware of a leader who was deposed for his adultery, but he was gone, serving a church in Illinois. Thus a great synod with a famous leader – The Great Walther – could only have been conceived without actual sin.

The gap between the Rogate Sunday sermon in 1839 and the founding of the Missouri Synod in 1847 is filled with a storm of confusion, accusations, and suppression of the truth. Walther himself did not want the early history of the synod told, and most were happy to write as little as possible.[2]

One story, difficult to hide, is the way Loehe sent men to America to establish schools and congregations for Lutherans. They founded the future Concordia Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1844. The Loehe pastors gathered to form a synod and invited the Perrysville cult to join in the discussions. The initial conversations did not go well, but the two groups agreed a bit later and formed a synod. The credit should go to the Loehe pastors for the fellowship extended, but Loehe is not even mentioned in the official history quoted above. No one can say exactly why, but the mention of Loehe makes LCMS pastors angry and incoherent. Walther fought with him, but one test of Missouri loyalty is discounting Loehe.

Walther asked Loehe for the Ft. Wayne property – free – and continued financial support. Loehe agreed and continued the support.

http://www.projectwittenberg.org/etext/loehe/letter.txt

SYNOD'S LETTER TO PASTOR W. LOEHE IN NEUENDETTELSLAU (sic)

 Highly honored and dearly beloved brother in the Lord:

 Pastor D. Sihler has requested at this year's first synodical

 conference to call Pastor Oster as director and teacher at the

 Seminary in Fort Wayne. He based this request on his declining health

 and the fact that his own ever-growing congregation is making it

 impossible for him to expand the time and energy necessary for the

 seminary. We have come to the unanimous conclusion that we do not

 have the right to issue a call on behalf of the seminary, because it is a

 private institution, founded by the love of the German brothers.

 Consequently it was decided to ask you, beloved brother, and

 through you also the other participants of this work of love, whether

 you are willing to surrender the seminary to the Synod, formally and

 actually giving it under the Synod's free disposition, while

 nevertheless continuing with support in the forms of money, books,

 etc. in the usual loving manner, because the Synod--especially at this

 time of its organization--does not have the resources for the

 seminary's upkeep.

 In addition, it was agreed to ask you in a brotherly manner to

 forward to us the writings of Pastor Ostor (sic) thus enabling us to

 form our own opinion concerning his attitude, knowledge, spiritual

 gifts and qualifications for the proposed position.

 With the heartfelt request to include us and our work in your

 brotherly supplications, we command (sic) you to the Lord's mercy.

 Chicago, May 6 in the year of our Lord 1847.

 On behalf and in the name of the "German Evangelical--Lutheran

 Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States" at their first annual

 conference here.

 Signed respectfully and most humbly,

 C. Ferd. Wilh. Walther, President

 

No one can explain how Loehe’s generosity can be misconstrued. The mysterious break with Loehe suggests a future problem with Walther needing to be the whole show, the infallible leader who subordinated everything to his will.

Walther asked Bishop Stephan’s son to return from Germany and become a pastor.  As a leader, Walther talked young Stephan out of his land, yet the settlers never gave back the money, books, and possessions they stole from his father. In addition, Walther made a point of making fun of Stephan at the seminary and undermining him in his role as a pastor.

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[1] The LCMS official history on its website says as much – “The roots of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod trace back to 1847, when Saxon and other German immigrants established a new church body in America, seeking the freedom to practice and follow confessional Lutheranism.” https://www.lcms.org/about/lcms-history

[2] http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2016/01/walther-loehe-exchange-walther-wants.html