Conclusion ..................................................... 229

My Church! My Church! My dear Old Church! ...................... 238




INTRODUCTION.

I take pleasure in commending this unpretentious volume to the
prayerful attention of all English-speaking ministers and members of
the Lutheran Church. The aim of the author is to present a clear,
concise, and yet comprehensive view as possible, of the way of
salvation as taught in the Scriptures, and held by the Lutheran
Church. That he has accomplished his task so as to make it throughout
an illustration of the truth as it is in Jesus, and a correct
testimony to the faith of the Church of which he is an honored
minister, I believe will appear to all who read with an unbiased mind,
and a knowledge of the sources of information from which he has drawn.
There is always need for such a candid and considerate statement of
fundamental truth as this. The signs of the times clearly indicate
that there is no security for the Church save in maintaining the
Apostolic faith and spirit--not the one without the other, but the one
with the other. The supremacy of the Scriptures needs to be recognized
with a mightier emphasis, not only of the intellect, but also of the
heart. This vital conjunction is maintained in this book. I am certain
that a clear view of the way of salvation as taught by the Scriptures
and held by the Church will go far not only toward correcting wrong
impressions, but will tend to the relief of much mental perplexity,