The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran ChurchGerberding, G. H. (George Henry)
Religion
The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church
Gerberding, G. H. (George Henry)
Lutheran Church -- Doctrinal and controversial works; Salvation
Thus these festival communion seasons were true revival seasons.
And why should it not be so still? What can be more inspiring and
impressive than these great facts which our church festivals
commemorate? If the solemn warnings of the Advent season, the glad
tidings of the Christmas season, the touching and searching lessons of
the Lenten season, the holy, inspiring joyousness of the Easter
season, or the instructive admonitions of the Pentecostal season, will
not attract and move and edify the hearts of men, what will?
What has the radical part of the Church gained by setting aside
these seasons, hallowed by the use of Christ, His apostles and
martyrs, the Church Fathers and Reformers? Is the modern revival
system and the Week of Prayer arrangement an improvement? Can any
modern self-appointed committee get up a better and more effective
program than our historic Passion Week services, crowned with its
Easter communion? Assuredly no! There can be no new "program," however
broad or spicy, that can be adapted to bless the saint and sinner,
like our old order, following the dear Saviour, step by step, on his
weary way to the cross and tomb, and thus preaching Christ Crucified
for, at least, one whole week in a year. Though there may be
progressive Greeks to-day to whom this preaching of Christ Crucified
is "_foolishness_," or materialistic Jews to whom it is "_a
stumbling-block_," we know it is still _the power of God and the
wisdom of God to all who believe_. We know that there can be nothing
so truly promotive of genuine piety, so well adapted for the
conversion of sinners and the sanctifying of believers, as this
preaching of the cross. We do not wonder, therefore, that, after a
comparatively short experience in the new way, earnest voices are
raised, in quarters, whence a few years ago came nothing but ridicule
of Lenten services, pleading for the old historic Passion Week,
instead of the new Week of Prayer. Not that we object to a week of
prayer. We only object to the substitution of this modern week, with
its diversified program, for the old week with its Bible Passion
lessons.
Thus then we see that there is abundant provision and opportunity
for special seasons of awakening and refreshing, by following the
regular Church Year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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