CFW Walther – The Facts Do Not Match the Myths
1.
Walther
identified with Pietism and its groups, through his brother Otto, as soon as he
entered the university. This group, which had its own cell poorly disguised as
a Bible study group, joined with Stephan as a unit.
2.
The
Pietism was so extreme that pastors urged men and women to divorce so they
could travel to America with the Stephanites.
3.
The
Stephan circle saw themselves as elite and special in the Kingdom, but they
overlooked Stephan’s associations with young women and other questionable
actions. The evidence was too abundant, including the court trial that removed
him, to believe anyone in the circle was shocked.
4.
Walther
kidnapped his niece and nephew, evading the police warrant, hiding the children,
letting his future mother-in-law go to prison for a time. He left quickly in a
ship to avoid the police.
5.
Stephan
already had syphilis in Dresden. His rashes and increasing megalomania were symptoms.
Some of his children were born with syphilitic side-effects.
6.
Stephan
became increasingly irrational on the voyage and demanded in New Orleans that
he become the bishop. Walther signed the paper, though many in the LCMS try to
deny it.
7.
St.
Louis people were quite suspicious of the bishop with women and girls around
him, but a wife and children abandoned in Dresden. According to Walther, this
was her fault!
8.
Perryville
was a poor choice for their New Jerusalem, and Stephan continued to issue
irrational orders, which were followed.
9.
The
sudden discovery of adultery is a poor cover-up for the riot organized by
Walther.
10. As a pastor without a call, Walther
brought to Perryville only those St. Louis members who wanted to get rid of
Stephan. He previously stole the land given to Stephan by the Society. He never
spoke to Stephan about the adultery but arrived with an angry mob instead.
11. The mob actions against Stephan
betray the horrors of the syphilis attack among the young women: threatening
murder, stripping the bishop of his clothes to look for money, forcing himself across
the river at gunpoint, stealing all the money, taking the books and personal
possessions, including a priceless chalice – a personal gift.
12. The trial judge was the real estate
agent!
13. Stephan was refused food when he
begged for it later.
14. The Society kept everything and
fought Stephan in court over what they stole, giving back only a pittance.
Walther kept the chalice to use at his church in St. Louis. It has never been
returned.
15. Stephan’s son came back to serve as a
pastor, but Walther mocked him as a student and belittled him as a pastor. He
even talked young Stephan out of the 80 acres owned by his father’s estate.
16. LCMS history continues to skip over
this series of felonies and anti-Christian behavior (as Walther wished) in
order to make young Walther the “founder” of the synod, the president of the
seminary, and the chief author and editor.
