The following is an English translation from the original German book Tanz und Theaterbesuch. It was done by BackToLuther at http://backtoluther.blogspot.com/ Because I do not know German, I have had to use free translation services available on the Internet, mostly Google Translate. But also a spiritual understanding was used to modify it so that it mostly reads as the author intended. January, 2012
July 12, 2013 – Some alterations, hyperlinks added, [ToC] hyperlinks return to Table of Contents. Pagination is from the original German publication. Hyperlinks to the original German pages are sprinkled throughout, i.e. [Page 33], and opened in a new tab or window.
=======================================
Dance and Theater
From Tanz und Theaterbesuch by C.F.W. Walther
Translated by BackToLuther.blogspot.com
Table of Contents
Concerning the Worldly Dance 3
First Session - Initial Edifying hour. Hymn 3
Opening Prayer 4
Introductory remarks 5
Worldly Dance and Theater 11
Why Christians should abstain from worldly dance 12
Scripture speaks of dancing 12
Men dancing with women (social) not in Bible 15
Dannhauer on dance (and indifferent things) 18
Melancthon on worldly dance 21-24
Second Session of Edifying hours. 26
Opening Hymn 26
Opening Prayer 27
False doctrine and false life 28
I. Sin against the Sixth Commandment 31
"... whosoever looketh on a woman to lust" 31
Dancer knows it irritates him to unchastity 32
John Gerhard quote 33
"Lead us not into temptation." 36
A maid of Philipp Spitta – "Take only Jesus" 36
Job 31:1 38
Luther's sermon on the Sixth Commandment 39
Heart, eyes, ears, mouth, hands 40
Worldly dance a work of unchastity, curse of fashion 41
God's Word – Job, 1 Corinthians 6:15 42
Matthew 5:28, Colossians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 10:31 43-44
Luther's counsel for parents 45
Testimonies: Scriver 46
Bay City Chronicle newspaper 48
II. Worldly Dance scandal to other faiths 51
1 Corinthians 8:10-13 (weak consciences) 52
Matthew 18:6-7 (offend little ones -> millstone on neck) 53
Christian freedom? (Innocent pleasures?) 55
Conclusion 57
Concluding Hymn 58
First Session - Initial Edifying hour. Hymn 59
Opening Prayer 61
Introductory remarks - Christian freedom? too pietistic? 62
Testimonies of ancient heathen philosphers:
Solon, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca 64-67
Christian era worse than ancient, danger of fine drama 69
Milner - church historian: ancient, modern theater same 70
"Greatest playwright" (Shakespeare) - in service of devil 71
Ancient Christian preachers:
Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, Ambrose, Chrysostom 71-79
Women's makeup - what a disgrace to Christianity! 75
Music 75
God says: "...you hate my discipline?" 76
Christian religious theater? (finally boring; blends entertainment) 79
16th Century Lutheran theologian's testimonies:
Hutter, Dannhauer, Quenstedt, Buddeus, Palm 80-92
Second Session of Edifying hours. Hymn 94
Opening Prayer 95
Is Missouri too strict? (theater not somthing harmless) 96
Testimonies of lay people 97
Fritsch, American Congress (1778), Claassen, Lassenius 98-105
Goethe quote (plays not about promoting morals) 105
Lessing's play "Nathan the Wise"attacks Christianity 106-107
God's Word - 10 reasons against the theater 108-117
Romans 14:23 (whatsover not of faith is sin) 108
1 Corinthians 6:8 (Flee fornication) 109
1 Peter 5:8-9 (be vigilant) 109
Augustine's friend Alypius who loved the plays 110
1 John 2:15-16 (Love not the world) 112
Ephesians 5:4 (not filthy language, foolish things) 112
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (Pray without ceasing) 113
Romans 12:2 (Be not conformed to this world) 113
Psalm 1:1 (Sitteth not in seat of scornful) 114
1 Timothy 5:22 (Do not partake of other men's sins) 114
Psalm 90:2 (Teach us to remember we must die) 115
No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24) 115
Drinking houses, circuses, clubs, gymnastic clubs,
baseball societies, entertainment clubs, novels 116-117
Closing Hymn 118
Dance and theater.
------------------
Each pair of free lectures on the subject,
organized in four to edification maintained and published on the basis of stenographic notes at the request of his congregation
by
C. F.W. Walther,
Pastor of the first German Evangelical - Lutheran unaltered Augsburg Confession collective congregation of St Louis, Mo.
St Louis, Mo.
Concordia Lutheran - Verlag.
1886.
Concerning the Worldly Dance.
---------------------
Initial edifying hours.
Held on 5 October 1884 at the Trinity Church in St Louis, Mo.
Hymn.
Melody. O how blessed are you, ye that are upright.
Oh, may our lives but how we
Thus the world and its pleasures arise
And divorce ourselves
Rest of the pious, and a thousand delights?
We must not, even after short years
Drive to the dead in the ditch?
It will happen
The one everyone will see his wages.
If the world took their end now
And the judge will come from heaven,
Will discover
Everything what we meant to hide.
Oh what it is for an opinion cases
If he is our doing, imagine that
If he will find,
As we here laid in a noisy sins!
O LORD, Christians want to spare my
And sinners are not worth me on merit!
I want to leave
Hate all the world and its lusts.
(Page 4)
Prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, you have created us not to enjoy the vain, fleeting pleasure of this world; Thou hast given us rather an immortal soul that hungers and thirsts for as perfect, eternal joy. And this joy can fnd our soul nowhere, as in you, in the blessed communion with you, here and there. But oh, Lord, we have to complain to you and confess that we, together with all of nature, rather than seek the joy in you, flee it, and instead of fleeing the world's joy, seek the same. We pray you, see through the eyes of Your mercy down upon us poor, sinful creatures, and take all our hearts in your almighty hand and walk around them, so we return unto our all, our greatest asset. Therefore we cannot do it, that only canst thou do, and Thou alone. Keep us that we are not in our blindness about the earthly, the heavenly one, about the temporal and the eternal transience forfeit forget, and lose, they would achieve our goal at last been put. Oh you faithful God, bless, bless this thy word, even in this hour in our hearts for the sake of Jesus Christ, your eternal, only begotten Son, our Redeemer and Saviour. Amen.
Beloved in the Lord!
That between true Christians and children of the world a big difference taking place that gives everyone what (page 5) wants to be a Christian; because of God's Word, Christians are saved, the children of the world be damned. – What a difference! – But of course, when we ask what therefore is this difference between a true Christian and a child of this world, there opinions go far, far apart. There one answers this, the other one that. Usually one thinks of the difference lies between Christians and the children of the world in the fact that a Christian every Sunday and festival day goes to church, a child of the world does not; that a Christian prays three times a day, morning, noon and night, a child of the world does not; the fact that a Christian keeps to a Christian congregation, a child of the world does not. But, my precious ones, they are in a serious error if they judge by these rules on the difference between a Christian and a child of the world. Probably all true Christians do that, the real world children do not, but the real difference is in God's Word an entirely different one that goes much, much deeper. And if you want to know what it consists of in brief, it tells you by the Apostle Paul, Romans 12:2. As he writes to the Romans and with them to all Christians throughout the world, at all times and in all places: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good, the pleasing, and perfect will of God." The real difference between a Christian and a child of the world is so different in the sense that (page 6) they both have. A Christian is heavenly minded, a child of the world is earthly minded. A Christian may seek that which is above, a child of the world that which is on earth. A Christian seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, a worldling seeks first the kingdom of this world and to his delight. The Christian lives for his God, tries to please his God to serve Him in our neighbor, and in this service he wants to let the flames consume his life is like; a child of this world lives to himself, his purpose, his desire for his honor. A Christian is afraid of every sin, even the secret of which no man can learn something from God only knows, because he is afraid of every sin, for God's sake, a child of the world shrinks most from obvious, gross sin, and that just for the sake of harm that comes to him. A Christian has no more taste of what the world is their greatest joy and pleasure, he is dead to the world and can say with the Apostle Paul: "The world is crucified to me and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14) This is not to say that the world makes a true Christian no impression, but this idea is repugnant to him. It is quite different with a child of the world. He has no taste for the opposite, where the Christian finds his greatest joy, that of God's Word and God's grace. A Christian loves a person all the more, that ever more pious he is, he respects him even higher and feels drawn to him before others; a (page 7) child of the world loves a person all the less, ever more pious he is, and feels from him rejected, yes, hates him probably all the more, because he is to him an evil preacher who makes his conscience uneasy. You see, that's the real difference between a Christian and a child of the world. This is all in Christ, with brief words when he said to the disciples, and together with this love for all true Christians, says: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19, 17:14) The good apostle Peter draws the following picture of a true Christian in contrast to the children of this world: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: " 1 Peter 2:9. So are the Christians.
But where are now, I ask you, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, where are those Christians today who really differ in this way from the children of the world? Oh, they unfortunately have become the exception even among those who still call themselves Christians. Once in the apostolic age it was quite different. As a rule, there were such true Christians. Hence, then call the Apostle Peter was the same: " Wherein they," namely the children (page 8) the world, "think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." 1 Peter 4:4. Because the Christians at that time had nothing to do with the vanity of the world. They retreated seriously from the world and its pleasures. Between the Christians and the world was a sky-high borderline .... wall, over which no man could climb without so soon to betray his brothers that he no longer wanted to be a Christian. And yet in the next following first centuries, in those times of bloody persecution of Christians, the Christians had little to do with the vain world system of the Gentiles, and they separated themselves so fearful from the fact that they were generally considered and proclaimed to be enemies of the human race. If the world (namely, the Gentile world) in the first centuries of the Christian era did their rushing, pompous festivities and held splendid processions, there one saw no Christian among them. Especially on days like this were hidden, retreated to their bed chamber and on their knees, they prayed to God for mercy and compassion for their poor blind people, for the wickedness in their sunken homeland! At that time it really came true with those who bore the name of Christ, what sings the pious poet:
It polishes the inner life of Christians,
Although they from the outside the sun burned;
What gave them the king of heaven,
Is known to nobody, as themselves.
In physical terms,
In sleep and wakefulness
You see them before others do nothing particularly
Except that they deride the folly of worldly pleasure.
Such was it once as I said, but what about now? Is still such a great barrier between Christendom and the world? Oh, no, indeed! She seems to be completely torn down almost everywhere. As in the days just before the deluge, the children of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful, and they are now united with them and have children of the world. The vanity of the world is not only outside, no, but she has set up her throne in the middle of the church. O woe to the Christians in this sad, last time!
And oh, I would like to have added at least: "But, thank God in our congregation, it's different!" I wanted to say this but I would be a false prophet, because our church is not free of this corruption in our time. Also in our congregation, especially in our inexperienced youth, wants with power to penetrate a world shaped Christianity. While we can acknowledge, however, this: The secular-minded among us, praise God! yet by no means rule; those who see God's Word for an insufferable yoke have by no means yet achieved the rule. There are among us, thank God! yet no small number even by those (page 10) young men and young women who want to place their prime of life at their Saviour's feet, and so are our crown. But the worldly-minded among us aspire to rule, and they hope that if the old "grumbling heads" are once dead, that is when the serious Christians their heads will have laid down, it will already be different and even stop the slavery in which they think to languish.
Now you tell yourself, my dear ones, so what would happen if it nothing took place to prevent this stream of ruin?? -- Finally, our love would come in this church that Christ would say to her, as once to the church at Sardis, " thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." (Revelation 3:1) Yes, our community would finally be one in doctrine and life of Laodicea, which he would shout: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, I could wish you were cold or warm! Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16)
Alas, in what spiritual distress we live here in the middle of the period of peace! Who will help us now? Yes you will all say with me, only God can help here, because God alone can change human hearts, God alone makes a world's heart into a Christian heart. "But how does God do it? By nothing else than by His Holy Word. Therefore has he taken our dear brethren in their voting elements (page 11) the decision that this spirit of the world like Christianity will also therefore work contrary, that we do some special edification, exhortation and warning hours to get to that in our dear congregation penetrate unending nature of the world in the light of God's word to make. And I am pleased to see that you, dear brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, young and old, are rushed in such large crowds! Oh, what a balm that is for your heart grieved shepherds and pastors! For if a church is still standing so that when the truth should be told, and indeed a bitter truth to the flesh, then pushes Come near, to hear the word of truth, then should not be dismayed at their healing, then it is not yet lost. Then it is evident that the Lord still has a lot in it, which are his own, and want to make against the wall to penetrate ending stream of perdition, and that the Lord wants to help them out and renew their first love. O be greeted by me therefore my beloved ones. The Lord's blessing be upon you! --
There are two things, as you know, what to now include more and more among the Christians and, unfortunately, even among us outcropping world beings we want to examine in a circle of special edifying hours after word of God and be judged first, the worldly dance and the other, the visit to the theater.
Now do not believe, my dear ones that we, your preachers, imagine if we with us bring along those that have not any more danced and the theater have not visited, that then our congregation is so procured as God wants it to be. Oh no! Then we would indeed be bad spiritual physicians for the illness in our community. But no, the war to be started today, will be performed primarily against the secular sense. Because we know that only if this is subdued, and the point of the same mind of Christ in our community alone comes to power, only then we shall be saved. Rather not. So shall therefore our topic today initially be this:
Why should all those who want to be Christians, abstain the worldly dance and not allow the same to their adolescent sons and daughters?
Probably you noticed, my dear ones, that I say Christians should abstain from the worldly dance. Also in the Holy Scripture we find at several places of the dance mentioned, namely without the Holy Spirit would have punished it. If every dancing was, however, a sin, the Holy Spirit would have also punished without any doubt it, so often in the Scripture the speech is of dancing. For example, we read in Judges 21:19-21, that the young women had gone out of the city of Shiloh "with dancing" i.e., in a solemn procession "to dance", and indeed the "Spring Festival of the Lord." We (page 13) read further in the sixth chapter of the second book of Samuel, the following. As once the Ark of the Covenant, which was fifty years been in a private home and was worried about which of Saul, nobody should be caught up solemn, when David turned to a large procession with trumpets and other instruments sounding. He walked ahead, dressed in a linen garment indicate that he would now do priestly work. Yes, he was delighted that the dear, holy ark, which was the place of the revelation of the Lord should come to Jerusalem, was so overwhelmingly strong that he started, as the Scripture says expressly, "with all his might before the Lord to jump and dance. " When his arrogant, rich, worldly-minded wife Michal saw this, she despised David in her heart, and came home as the same, she received him with mocking words, as he had done something that he, especially before the present what has been maids, as a king should be ashamed. But David gives her not only to not know he had done so something improper, but also adds: " I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour." (V. 22) He knew what spirit drove him to dance also. -- We read further, even in Ecclesiastes, where it is Summa Summarum taught: "It is vain," it says that even then: "Dancing has its time." (Ecclesiastes 3:4) And our Lord Jesus (page 14) Christ himself, if he wants to compare the obdurate Jews who beat either by the law, nor wanted to leave by the Gospel, make merry, says: " But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented." (Matthew11:16-17) What was that but a dance of which the Scripture tells us – there was just nothing more than hopping and jumping for joy either for music or without music, either rhythmically or without a rhythm, and, save only the children playing, only the one ultimate purpose, to glorify and praise the Lord. Of these, however, we read the whole Bible anything that ever person of the male sex with persons of the female sex had danced. We never find the slightest trace of this kind of dance. Either a person dancing alone, such as David, or dancing a chorus of young women with young women. This is the dance on which the sacred Scripture speaks. It is, however, my precious, of highest importance. But that you not only believe me, or for that matter that it is historic, so I will give you what a famous antiquary, namely Joachim Hildebrand, a professor at Helmstadt, died 1691, writes here over saying: "Some maintain, to protect against the dancing, the old fathers, demonstrate the examples (page 15) of the saints from the Holy Scriptures, which have danced. For the pious matrons danced in Exodus 15:20, similarly to 1 Samuel 18:7; David danced before the ark to 2 Samuel 6:14. But all these dances were individual persons. The holy fathers, however, condemn unanimously the social dances, when men dance with females mixed together. Of such dances, but is found in the whole Bible not a single example." (Libellus de nuptiis veterum christianorum, quoted in Rechenberg's Hierolexicon reale p. 292 sq.). Look after now, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, whether their is an example in the Holy Scripture of the now worldly dance, and you will soon be convinced that not even one of that dancing is ever mentioned in the whole Bible.
Indeed, sing one also mixed already at the time of Christ on the dance. But strangely enough writes the famous pagan geographer Strabo (died in 25 A.D.), he has belonged with his greatest surprise that with people in Lusitania (Lusitania was our today's Portugal) both genders together dance and, besides, to themselves pass the hands.
Even to these heathens, this was strange in the highest degree, because even these heathen people knew nothing about this custom. For us this is of the highest importance, and especially for us Lutherans. We do so much with the fullest right (page 16) that which teaches us our dear Luther, if only because he teaches us, though we do not believe him so; but we have at the very outset the best prejudice, because we usually see but at last that he is right, because he proves us all from the Holy Scriptures. But you will perhaps have heard that he defends in his church sermons the wedding dance, in the interpretation of the Gospel of the wedding at Cana. As they say because what you want, then their "Missourians"? You go still beyond your Luther; you are even stricter than Luther, because he defends the wedding dance! But we shall see that we agree completely with him even in his defense of the wedding dance. But lest anyone think that we want to hide something, I will read you the passage in question word for word from the church sermons. Thus he writes in a sermon that is dated 1524: "Whether it was a sin, whistling and dancing at the wedding, seeing that we speak that much sin come from dancing. Whether the Jews had dances, I do not know?" (that is, I do not know if that's actually been a dance, what I have so translated, I cannot find a better word), "but because it is customary for the country inviting guests, decorating, eating and drinking and being merry, I see no reason to condemn it, save its excess when it goes beyond decency and moderation. That sin should be committed is not the fault of dancing alone; since at a table or in (page 17) church that may happen; even as it is not the fault of eating that some while so engaged should turn themselves into swine. Where things are decently conducted I will not interfere with the marriage rites and customs, and dance and never mind. Faith and love cannot be driven away either by dancing or by sitting still, as long as you keep to decency and moderation. Young children certainly dance without sin; do the same also, and be a child, then dancing will not harm you. Otherwise were dancing a sin in itself, children should not be allowed to dance." (Luther's Works. Walch XI, 642 ff; St. Louis Edition, vol. 11, pgs 466 ff).
This testimony of Luther is for many dance-happy what seems to be a true Gospel. Ha, they say, the great Luther, the reformer of the Church who has not condemned it, and you want to condemn it? But consider what has already been said, the time dances were what kind yet! They were nothing to Luther's time more than a hopping and jumping, either with or without music. And even then, even if men and women, or young men and women danced together, so they touched but only insofar as they shook hands, and then with graceful gestures to each other went around and jumped. Since Luther certainly had to say to the Enthusiasts: Are ye so foolish and mad that you explained it for that one hop and jump? Want you to allow then only to give slowly? We have to bounce and jump otherwise, why should we not do it today? -- That's right! This (page 18) is not the question of which we act today. Since in my question one says rather: Why should all those who want to be Christians, contain the worldly dancing and do not allow the same to their adolescent sons and daughters?" Of the "*worldly* dancing"! But what, then, is worldly dancing? It consists in the fact that females with male persons not only bounce and jump together, but that one embraces the other person, and turns around in circles with them.
[ToC]
This is the *worldly* dance! Previously we knew nothing about it; only at Luther's time, this kind of dancing has come to us from the whorish French country. Germany, which has always been an ape of France, has become the imitator of France even in the so-called "Gallic dance", as all know, who know the history of the world. The old Strasbourg theologian Dannhauer (d. 1666) spoke of this among other things. In fact he wrote the work "Theology of Conscience" (a magnificent work), in which he presents all sorts of questions of conscience and the same again then carefully decides all by God's Word. There he answers therefore, among other things, this question: "Is equality in the world (at least) allowed in indifferent things?" (indifferent things are things in Scripture that are neither commanded nor forbidden), and he responds as follows: "The Apostles Romans 12:2 required the conscience rule (page 19) written: "Be not conformed to this world. 'That this is in the things which are evil in itself, are not permitted, is beyond question. " Dannhauer wants to say the Apostle wants the Christians not only those words that they should not follow the children of the world in their obvious sins and vices, that is understood by itself, because in any ban, that is pronounced on sin. He therefore continues: " But the question is of indifferent things, from life, from customs, traditional costumes " (our girls should particularly remember this!), "music, comedy, French dances. For the French State is the excerpt and the model of the world where there is the spirit of the world. I therefore deny that it is allowed, because (1.) (aeon) the (Greek) word which is used by the apostles called not only the world but also the moral world, 'the course of this world', as Paul in Ephesians 2:2 writes, so that so does the Apostle say this, Bring not such a life, which is similar to those people who love this world, which you have already renounced in baptism. . . (2.) Equality of the world is not allowed because in Romans 12:2 it is offered as the opposite of renewal. Another constitution requires so different customs, but now is Christ's kingdom not of this world, so it even does not allow the morals of the world." (Theol. conscientiar II, 401 sq.)
But not only so the judge later theologians of our church, like a Dannhauer, (page 20) on the usual dance world, but also our own Luther. Oh, dear brothers and sisters, hear well! because it is, alas! a general outcry among the so-called Lutherans that Luther had been a patron of dancers; one could even read it in his church sermons. But they are mistaken: Luther wanted to know nothing of the current worldly dance. Well it was that he wanted to make harmless also rhythmic hopping and jumping and not to make them a sin; but on the other hand, that is all he meant in his church sermons. Although he had yet to experience the French fashion of dance that was imported to Germany, even in his beloved university town of Wittenberg it found its way so that even his students were soon to join in this fashion. But what did Luther do now? Well therefore he has not revoked his earlier teaching, but soon raised his loud voice against this new practice. Although it was a fact that he gave the following lecture to his students, it only proved that yes indeed, what the Scriptures call it dancing, is not sin in itself, but then this can be heard: "But one thing that I find wrong in the dances and that I wish they would be banned by the public authorities" -- you know quite well that Luther sees so for something that should be ashamed to even by the respectable world, for if it had been an affair which should be abstained by only an earnest Christian, he would not say it should be prohibited by the secular authorities; and what is it that (page 21) Luther wanted to see banned with so much earnestness? This: "that the young men turn around with the young maidens (by dancing) in circles, especially in public in front of many spectators." (See Luther's letters, epistles and concerns, edited by Dr. De Wette, VI, 435; St. Louis Edition, vol 21b, letter #3334, page 3228-29) Behold, hereby Luther describes precisely the current worldly dance, that the dancers in fact turn around in circles, while the one the other covers with hands and arms and wraps. Of this dancing that the devil has invented knows the Scripture nothing!
By less objectionable dancing e.g. one Church Father says: "The dance floor is a circle, its center of hell, and its periphery, the devil." Once, however, one has judged in such a way, what would the same people say if they saw how one now dances? They would not believe their eyes and ears if one said of them: "These people call themselves Christians!"
[ToC]
The Rector of the university (probably at that time Melanchthon), thereby drew attention to this danger threatening the students, put on straight away an admonition and warning directed to the students and struck the same on to the so-called "black Bret", a board hanging in the vestibule of the university building. This curious document, with the caption: "The Rector of Wittenberg College," reads as follows: "We know that (page 22), some" (i.e. students) "take freedom with the public dances to certain antics" (so-called so Melanchthon to dance the newly introduced species), "which is not befitting and sometimes bring danger to the dancing maids." -- How true that is! How many maidens that are not already dead on the dance floor tumbled down after she was heated beyond measure and yet the truly frenzied movement still continued! The Rector would therefore say: If your actions damage the health of a maiden, so God will require it once of you. -- "But the dances are not to be barbaric and shameful games, but have been set up for the sake of rearing, so that the youths learn to give honor due the female sex, so have the dances respectable causes." -- He says therefore, the dances have been introduced so to guide the young men towards the female sex for reverence and to eliminate those manners of the rudeness in which young people easily fall if they are not in those societies in which they must behave considerately. Hence, the dances primarily consisted in the fact also originally that one turned to other, bowed deferentially and elegantly to them, soon went away from them, soon approached them, soon went beside them, namely this everything in the greatest breeding and honor.
It continues now in our document: "It is therefore not allowed that the custom which is to carry (page 23) good breeding and fine propriety be corrupted by an introduction of a lewd and farcical nature. We therefore hereby prohibit, with the maiden to turn, to dance in a circle, as done by some." There describes of the Rector the dancing how it is now, and how it had become imported first in the later time of Luther's life from France to Germany. Still in 1525 was Luther, as we have heard, saying: "Dance nevertheless!" but now he says that not merely that the youth should be encouraged to leave it, but that the secular authorities should intervene against it and impose punishment on dancers such as those described. Therefore however no one present should rely on Luther for God's sake for that kind of dancing! Far to approve them, he has it rather as unchaste, indecent, lewd movements that a Christian should be ashamed of, to be formally rejected and condemned. The Rector continues his attack. "We also prohibit other dishonest conduct. The Greek word 'chorea', which has been translated as 'dance', takes its name from 'chorus', which consists not only in the harmony of song, but also in the harmony of gestures and manners. This harmony must not be disturbed." On the all virtuous should therefore all movements and gestures in the dance will be performed and does not happen, as if the dancers stung by a tarantula and put in a wild dancing mania, as it can be (page 24) often seen now the worldly dancing. "The respectable custom", ie it continues, "is rather exercise in honorable ways. If someone should act against this edict, we will act against him with a serious penalty."-- The Wittenberg students so were not allowed to dance, then, as it is done now. Yes, whoever would henceforth be done, should not only be punished but "with a serious punishment," namely assigned to be held for punishment and finally be relegate in disgrace. One will tell them that such dancers could not become lawyers, doctors, civil servant, never mind pastors! Away with you! and violates our University of infected and not love our city longer! -- "Finally, we ask," it says in conclusion, "to be mindful that the school is a workshop of virtue, and that it is especially fitting for us in a Christian school that is to be considered in the fear of God that the teaching of religion by no evil example comes into disrepute. We therefore command that you are in your whole conduct humble and silent." (Ph. Melanchthonis epistolarum a Joh. Manlio collectio. P. I, p. 526 sq.). --
This may be then for today enough introduction, after I have pointed firstly what is to be understood by the worldly dance, and on the other hand what Luther stands against in this custom.
(Page 25)
Hymn.
Melody. O how blessed are you, ye that are upright.
Henceforth my life shall honor commanding
Never turn away from your word.
I want your stay;
No more driving to the world of you myself.
Your grace door is open to all,
The hope for you in this life;
Those who die without you,
There must perish body and soul.
So I close me in your wounds,
Since I found my sins counsel;
Thy Cross and Passion
Leads me to the true joys of heaven.
Blessing and Prayer.
Over the common worldly dance.
Second edifying hours.
Held on 19 October 1884 in the Immanuel Church in St. Louis, Mo.
Hymn.
In its own melody. - Or Shall I sing to my God.
Let us go with Jesus,
His example to follow,
Escape into the world of the world,
On the track, which broke upon us,
Always stay away to heaven,
Still be earthly, even divine,
Believest and live quite fine,
Have faith in love.
Faithfulness of Jesus, stay with me,
Go ahead, I'll follow you.
Let us suffer with Jesus,
His example will be the same.
After suffering pleasures follow,
Here poverty makes yonder rich.
Thränensaat reaps the laughter,
Hope comfort the patient!
It can easily by the grace of God
Make the rain sun.
Jesus: I am sorry here with you,
There, in part your joy with me.
(Page 27)
Let us die with Jesus,
His death from our other death
Rescues and the soul from perishing,
The eternal union of distress
Let's kill and because we live
Our flesh, he will die,
So he is us from the grave
Lift into the sky life.
Jesus, I die, I die for you,
The fact that I live on and on.
-----------------
Prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, again we have gathered, to enable us to teach out of your holy word. O, that it not go in vain! so we have to sigh. For well thy word is always alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, but alas, all our mind is by nature so deluded that we did not recognize your wisdom, but it pays for folly, and all our will is by nature so turned away from you that he cannot obey your will, but we resisted on and on. So often your word and order demands somewhat of us what is contrary to our ungodly flesh, as we always search for all kinds of excuses to persuade ourselves that your word does not mean what says it, or that you nevertheless do not mean it with your commandment so seriously! So we pray you, take it from (page 28) are the natural blindness of our minds, and enlighten us from above, so that we will recognize your will for our salvation. Take from all of us but also reluctance and make us capable and willingly and joyfully to do your will. Oh yes, Lord, do as you once opened unto thy servant Lydia by your Holy Spirit the heart to remember me on your word and the faith to believe and how you once even the wicked reluctant Saul have been overcome, that he was willing himself to you to submit: thou wilt even in this hour we all open up your heart and tear from us all the ties which bind us still in the sin of the world and the world's vanity. Bless, O bless thy word in this hour of our common salvation for your love's sake, which is in Christ Jesus, Thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Beloved in the Lord!
It is mainly by two things, which the devil seeks to destroy the Church of God on earth, namely, either by false doctrine or false life. If Satan cannot prevail against the Church by heresy, so he tried it with sin. For he knows well, when the right life falls into the church, then surely falls soon the true doctrine. This our community has seen. Almost half a century is the pure word of God and the use (page 29) of unadulterated Sacraments in this congregation in vogue. On this side the devil did not get at, namely it cannot persuade, to seduce her falling due to errors. But what has this evil enemy done? For some time he tried to sneak from the other side of our community. Since he could not deceive with false doctrine, he has sought to delude us by a worldly shaped Christianity, and, unfortunately, not without success. After all, he knows well, even if he has us in this network, we are lost, and the jewel of the pure gospel will then soon be gone. Whoever is in matters of life and not just seriously, you will take it in matters of doctrine is no longer accurate and serious, particularly if it costs diligent research, or if it is a doctrine that the flesh is very contrary to or if one should suffer shame and persecution for the sake of doctrine.
The first question to which we want to get into this extraordinary edification of God's Word, the answer is, as my beloved knows: Why should all those who want to be Christians, contain the worldly dance hold (page 30), and the same is not allowed of their adolescent sons and daughters? Since, however, according to God's word there is also a sinless dancing -- because even the royal prophet David danced before the ark since we reported by the Holy Spirit -- so it was necessary for the time being, however, that we looked, in which the difference between the sinless dancing, of which the Scripture speaks and therefore approves Luther, and the now worldly dancing there. We have since done well. What we have seen here is that dancing in the holy scriptures was approved of by nothing other than a happy hopping and jumping on the rhythm or without a rhythm, with music or without music, for by individuals themselves, or in addition to several of the other. In contrast, the now worldly dancing is that people of different sexes embrace with their arms and hands and dancing with each other in circles rotate. Let us now that we have already discussed that a fortnight ago, today, for brevity's sake of time, without any further introduction of the answer to our question. My short answer is this:
Those who want to be true Christians to abstain from the usual dance about the world and not to allow the same to their adolescent sons and daughters,
I. because such a practice is worldly dancing a sin against the sixth commandment, that is against the law of chastity, and
II. because both the same of world as those of different faiths gives such a big scandal.
Of this, now let me talk some to you, and I ask this not just a sympathetic ear, but also an open heart.
Already at the time of Christ thought the Jews, at least the majority, led astray by their false, wretched scribes, they would have fulfilled the sixth commandment when they carried not gross fornication outside or inside of marriage. Unfortunately, there are countless times in our so-called Christians who think likewise. But this is a gross, big, terrifying, most soul-destroying error. Therefore, because Christ, our Lord, when he took up his public ministry, immediately appeared especially against this error. For he says in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:27-28: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:" He wants to say: You have heard from the scribes that it had been said to your ancestors, You shall not commit adultery only externally; and adds: "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." From this you can see it (page 32) my friends: we can even break the sixth commandment in our hearts. You may already be in the heart a fornicator and adulterer, while walking through the otherwise quite respectable world. I think that you will agree with me, all without exception and without further notice, for the Saviour says yes, with clear and explicit terms. But I ask you: You give me this, too, that is also now the world's usual dancing against the sixth commandment, then? I fear with reason that some will not admit it. Yes, it would be downright terrible when all the admitting, which so far have yet the pleasure of the world indulged in the usual dance, which would be quite cursed people. For God tells us who sin willfully after having received the knowledge of truth, who remaineth no other sacrifice for sins but a fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27) But be that as it may, such persons may be among us or not, it's still true: Whoever takes part in the common worldly dance, sins against the sixth commandment, against the law of chastity, and that:
1. because he does something of which he knows that it irritates him to unchastity very much and tries.
Even this first reason is enough to condemn worldly dancing. For he who seeks that which (page 33) he knows that it will provoke him to adultery, has committed this sin before God already. It is clear from the sayings of Scripture follows undeniably. For this is the first place, the holy Apostle Paul writes in his 1 Corinthians 6:18: "Flee fornication" He not just says: commit sexual immorality! He says not only: fighting against fornication! but he says, "Flee" it! But why is he talking about this so? Just to tell us so that we are not this sin to commit not only in a rough way, but that we also go the same everywhere in the ways that we keep ourselves away from it that we should avoid every opportunity, in short, we should flee, flee it! We should not think: I want to go here and there, where I'll certainly be tempted to unchastity, but I will do so with the intent to fight it. No, says the Apostle, thou shalt act rather that you made your debt does not need to fight it. Rather you shall flee it like a poisonous snake. With it no one leaves without a necessity in a fight. They are not looking at, but they just run away. The fight against them is taken up only if one meets it without his will. Because it is of course true: either fight or die! - Even the godly John Gerhard writes thus in his incomparable "Holy Meditations": "While the apostle was that all loads must be resisted, so calls (page 34) it contradicts the fornication is not a duel, but to flee of, when he says: 'Flee fornication!' -- Therefore also calls for another of the Holy Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy that, who was then a young man, "Flee youthful lusts" (2 Timothy 3:22) He says not only: Take no part in the pleasures of youth, but: "Flee, Flee youthful lusts" Come they not too close, but go far away from where you are tempted to such pleasures, enticed, tempted to be could I now ask. What do those therefore which perform the now worldly dance? Do they hear from the Holy Apostle's reminder and a warning: "Flee youthful lusts"? No, they do not listen to it, because they walk yarns of unchastity May therefore be at least one youth or a maiden say: Yes, I'll go with the intention then to allow myself to not irritate unchaste thoughts, desires and appetites, but to suppress any rising evil thoughts immediately. So it's nothing. The apostle tells us to flee youthful lusts, but they seek to overcome them. But perhaps some will say: I've danced in the worldly way, but I've never experienced that I would have been so irritated and tried. Who talks like that, either consciously speaks the truth, or he is still blind and dead. Because according to the Scriptures is the scale of all the sins of nature in all men's hearts. (Page 35) Christ says expressly: "From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication," 2c. (Matthew 15:19), and we testified to the fact that all these sins in our hearts by nature after the fall. Because if they come from the heart, so they have to first be in my heart! See, my loved ones, who says: I do not feel such an inclination that she had never felt quite harmless but I've danced, who testifies to state that he is still dead in sin. As long as a man is not Christ come to life even as evil thoughts, evil lust, evil desires of the heart go in and out, like old good friends who do not worry, however, is when a man is a true Christian, so also before a major change in this relationship with him. He gets a tender feeling for all that is sinful. The least evil desire, the slightest idea of sin might be, the slightest irritation of the flesh, then he feels the moment, and now he is trying with all seriousness after that, once such a bad idea to get rid of that man, if he gets dirt in his mouth, it spits out soon. And if that does not mean it will not succeed him immediately, he throws himself down on his knees and begs and cries out to God: "Oh God, take it all the evil desires of my evil heart out, so that this does not spark a fire will that consume my poor soul! "Did you learn anything about the like, know, this is because: you are just dead even in sin.
(Page 36)
For this purpose, this is now that our dear Lord Jesus Christ has called all Christians without exception, every day and every hour the sacred "Our Father" to speak, so the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation." What does now but he who joins in the worldly dancing? Can say about the God to: "Lead me not into temptation," while at the same moment he himself falls into the temptation? No, whoever goes to such a dance, and still prays: "Lead us not into temptation", that only mocks God. If a man would go with a burning fuse or by a burning wax candle in a powder-house or in one stuffed with hay and straw barn, and prayed thus: "Oh God, protect me from all evil," would this be not a sinner? God is not mocked of his prayer? See there, whoever goes to a dance after the worldly way cannot pray to God: "Lead us not into temptation" May therefore be something innocent with such a dance? - Never! --
A more recent religious poet, from the Hanoverian, who died about 25 years ago, *) says he had a maid who had God's word is very happy, I want to be a Christian, had also been faithful in her service; but they've had a great desire to dance. He had been warned many times before. Then one day she came to him and
------------
*) Philipp Spitta, who died as a superintendent in Burgdorf 1859.
[ToC]
(Page 37)
asked him a little embarrassed if she could go out tonight and be missing a little longer. "Oh of course!" says the superintendent, "Where wilt thou go?" Since she is blood red. But honestly, how she was, she tells the truth: "I want to go to the ball." As Spitta says to her: "Well, go out, only take with you Jesus." She does not understand what is meant by Spitta, it is surprising, for while the superintendent else had always spoken against the dancing, he gives his permission it seems for now. So she's going happily to her room, is decorated for a dance and hurries down the street to the dance house. But on and on a voice speaks within her: "Take only Jesus! Take only Jesus! and however it becomes to her in such a way as if Jesus does not want to go along. But she tries. She prays secretly: "Oh Lord Jesus, nevertheless go along, nevertheless go along." The more she speaks these words, the more powerful it thunders in her heart: "I'm not going, I do not buy that!" and the closer she comes to the dance house, the more their anxiety grows, their fear. Because she dare not even go inside, and reverses back to the superintendency. She's barely been gone for fifteen minutes. As for Spitta asks: "Why here?" So she says: "I have asked the Lord Jesus, he should go, but he did not so I had to turn back." . And from that time when she passed this test, her inmost heart was changed, and she became a true living Christian. Behold, (page 38) my precious, you cannot go to dance and pray to the Lord Jesus: "Go with" and if you still do it - he goes now not once with.
This was also well known among others the chaste Joseph. When his mistress, Potiphar's wife, because he was such a handsome young man, had her eye on him and asked to throw him to fornication, so he immediately replied: "How could I such a great sin do, and therefore sin against God?" But when the woman, as Moses writes, "such words against Joseph drove every day," and tried to persuade him that he should remain at least near her and around her may be, he followed her here too, but rather to the right even fearing, but close to her he avoided as much as he always could, yea, as he had once half the shops are near them and they now wanted to use force, because he allowed himself to be gripped by her dress in her hands - and fled, just as if the words he had already read the New Testament: "Flee fornication!" "Flee youthful lusts!" And that's what it is, what God requires of us is above all things, my dear ones.
So without a doubt also thought of the great hero patience of Job. He says in the 31st Chapter of his book: "I have made a covenant with my eyes that I paid no attention to a virgin." (Job 31:1) Job knew then that even the appearance of an unrelated person of the opposite sex, a person could be dangerous if they have not own flesh and blood. To escape this danger, he made (page 39) what must be regarded the covenant with his eyes, no virgin on her to have his feast for the eyes. Oh, my beloved, now where is this caution? What audacity that I'm not saying impudence, one must perceive on the other hand, if one is in society! Where is the modesty of the good old days, in which among others Job also lived? Furthermore, let me impart to you a word of Luther. In his wonderful sermons on the holy Ten Commandments, he writes, that in the interpretation of the Sixth Commandment, among others the following: "The first sign" (of unchastity) "is watching." (Strange! According to Luther it's already a bad sign when one just looks fixed at a person from the other sex.) Luther continues: "And that's the most swift and most common sign, because it performs it's duties very soon, it does far and wide around and hears a lot and plainly.'s why so much has been written in the scriptures of the gentleness of the eyes", – that is that one should keep his eyes – "Because no other sense is so irritated easily and with so many things, and otherwise is not a sense of the wounded soul so strong that the face ever since it plainly one thing; may know that the deeper thing is the selfsame thing setteth also comes into the heart of why the proverb: 'What the eyes see, believes the heart.' .. Therefore, as with young fellows and young women, the greater ornament, so they strike the eye, so it is the greater disgrace them, if they can fly around the eyes." (page 40) (Consider what Luther says here. As it is the very thing he warned here, almost to the custom, or rather to become a bad habit! How brazen to look at young people and can therefore see what is in their hearts ! Nothing says, however, Luther, is a larger ornament, as the affliction of the eyes, and no greater shame, as if to look at young men and women brash and cheeky) Therefore, Luther added still uses. "Well, that few that wander around the eyes to a breach of virginity specify and is true what stands Proverbs 6:25 wrote: the fornication of a woman stands in lifting their eyes, and is known by her eyelids. Yes, many a cause for the fall, or is a sign that man is fallen, or even easily can be brought down. For a virgin who is truly chaste, who does not throw her eyes on a man, but ashamed of themselves... the face stirreth not only the present evil desire, but it also firmly abides long in the memory and make strange challenge. Therefore is written Jeremiah 9:21: 'death is received through our windows,"' – i.e. – through our eyes–."It speaks well in 2 Peter 2:14: 'They have eyes full of adultery.' See how he setteth the adultery in the eyes!" (It is understood but by itself, when we search the Scripture can already commit adultery with your heart, how much more with his eyes, the ears, the mouth, with the (page 41) hands, in short, with all members of the body!)
Luther continues: "Therefore make disciples of the wise man Sirach 9, 8, 9: 'Thou shalt not watch a virgin face, that thou mayest not injured thereby."' Well, who cares now about whether it will hurt! It feels so non-infringing because you just feel the spiritual, the horror of sin, even the Holy Spirit no longer has that punishes the true Christians soon, if the desire in him answers.) Finally, Luther adds "same danger you should also understand the virgins, as they look at a picture of a man." (Preaching on the Ten Commandments to the people of Wittenberg, Walch III , 1931 - 33) If now by the worldly dancing of the dancer was irritating only to sin against the sixth commandment, namely to adultery and attempted, it would really be already enough that one would flee worldly dancing like hell. But we here to come.
[ToC]
2. The common worldly dance is itself a work of unchastity.
And I must say it's a real shame for current Christianity, when for these Christians one wants only demonstrate and prove at great length. It demonstrates a moral callousness that is quite appalling. But this is precisely the horrible, hellish power in general have become immoral customs! That is the curse of fashion! Because if something is fashion that, for example, females indecent lewd dress, (page 42) so you can see immediately: they want to please not only vanity, but also provoke, excite unchaste desires and lure them into their networks – I say if this is once a fashion, it takes part almost in anyone, also those who want to be serious Christians with few exceptions.
But we go to God's word itself. Job has, as we have already heard, said: "I have made a covenant with my eyes that I was not seeking to find a virgin!" He thus holds even for a sin, even a person of watching other gender in order to feast on their shape and beauty and so to put in danger that the scale start in his heart of fire, and finally hardens the whole heart and poisons. If you would now once said to Job: "How? Take you that fool for sin? Come, enclose a virgin with your hands and arms and turn her around with you in the circle!" says he would not be such one, if not spit in his face, but having said: "What do you think of me I should do such a great evil?" Certainly! Hence, then, says the holy Apostle Paul to the Christians in Corinth, and thus the Christians throughout the world and for all time, 1 Corinthians 6:15, "Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ, shall I then take the members of Christ, and make whores out of it members?" Thus the Apostle testified that one could just sin with all members of his body against the (page 43) Sixth Commandment, with the heart when the unchaste desires sewing; with the heart, if one feeds the unchaste desires, with the eyes when you look gladly indecent objects, filthy pictures, statues and the like considered, or obscene printed materials, slippery novellas and novels loves reading, with the ears, if you like smut-like jokes and jests and such descriptions and hear tales that just tickle the sinful flesh, but at last with his hands and his arms. And this latter is just the sin in which particularly the sin of the worldly dance exists first. It makes as his hands and his arms whore's limbs. And if the world ever so horrible about it and laughs about it cries out in horror: "What? is this to be fornication?" it remains to be what God's Word says about this. When Christ says: "Whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28), so you can see it even if one used only his hands and arms to do so, to give food to their own lusts as a result, so he has sinned so even against the sixth commandment and driven a fine fornication. But no one can speak: "I have not felt like this." For I must repeat again here: If the spirit of chastity would be real in you, you would not dare to surround a person of the opposite sex with your hands and arms to dance. Because if you found someone outside of the dance and seeing how (page 44) you just embrace a person of the other sex, perhaps even the wife of another, what would he think of you? He would hold you for a fornicating and adulterous person. But because one does it with the dance, so the world absolves the dancers. But even though she likes you to be absolved, God absolves you therefore not as long and not until you are doing righteous repentance, repent of this sin, seek forgiveness for them and turn.
[ToC]
Oh, my dear ones, the worldly dance is a network in which our poor youth are caught and, without them noticing it, are finally dragged down into the depths of impurity and vice. Like many who come to the altar, the groom with the crown, the bride with the crown on her head, wear these symbols of the struggle with the pleasures of youth which carried victory, and yet they already have long lost crown and wreath of chastity! --
Here now comes the word of God, Colossians 3:17: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks, and God the Father through him", and 1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, so it do everything to the glory of God." With these two awards, the worldly dance forever condemned by God himself for who can "in the name of Jesus" dance this dance? Who can do it "the glory of God" or who, if he has practiced this dance, so come and God "thank" for that? The (page 45), no one can! Nor, as one can sin in Jesus' name and to honor God and thank God for that.
O dear parents consider, about what it does when you allow your children to partake of the worldly dance, yes, perhaps even go further and allow to teach your children methodically the art of the dancing! But consider what you are doing! You sacrifice your children to the idol Moloch, not that pagan, but the monster of vanity and unchastity. "Yes," you say, maybe, "we do so only to give our children a fine decorum in the attitude of the body." Oh, dear parents, but first, consider: what is better to go without a fine manners in heaven, or with fine manners in the hell? Bear in mind on the other hand: fine manners yes of course do something nice, sweet and commendable, but are there not many other ways young people get used to fine decorum as those in such great temptations leading practice of worldly dances? -- But listen to what our Luther says on this point. He writes: "A third to spoil their children, are the ones who give their children occasion to love the world; further they do not provide for their children because they courageously jump hand-in-hand, dance and can be coy, like the people, their desires irritate, themselves to the world treat as equal. One finds in our time few who take such heed to their children that they are so provided for with (page 46) the things of God and that meet their souls salvation as they provide them with clothes, pleasure, riches and honor. (The Ten Commandments preached to the people of Wittenberg. Walch III, 1824 f.)
[ToC]
I admit, indeed quite happy to admit, that even many righteous Christians have in their youth, the sins of the worldly dancing indulged even with passion, and are therefore not yet lost, although, even after they became Christians, that sinfulness of this pleasure never alive recognized. But, this only proves that even true Christians sometimes go undetected in there sins that God helps them as a weakness. A weakness of sin is but a mortal sin, if it is detected and yet committed against conscience even further. --
But before we now, my dears, for the second reason move on, why those who want to be true Christians, is included the worldly dancing and not to allow the same to their adolescent sons and daughters let me still subsequently impart some testimonies of what has been said above, namely that one could sin, for example, with hands and arms against the sixth commandment. In the first place, writes Scriver, the pious author of the so-called "Treasure of the Soul": "As a devout soul keeps watch over their hands and profaning all the other members of their body, that the same do not like to uncleanness and to God is an abomination, the few words of Paul.: 'shall I then take the members of (page 47) Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?' is enough to dissuade them from all unclean deeds."(part III, § 16 sermon 21, Vol. I., pg 809.) Accordingly I ask all dear Christians whether they, if they consider it rightly, hence must not say: Nevertheless, it is something terrible where poor Christendom has come in this last time! Namely that a young man can embrace without offense before all people's eyes a maiden with his hands and arms and turn her around in circles! Where are the chaste hands? Where are the chaste arms? What a disgrace to Christianity, that it can tolerate such a spectacle in itself. Luther also speaks very similarly thereof in his wonderful sermons on the Ten Commandments, preached at Wittenberg. "The third degree of impurity is in (6) signs" Now that Luther has then named as the fourth sign of unchastity "embrace", namely that a person of one sex with the opposite sex is "embraced," he continues, in part: "These signs are never told more and less subtle, than in public dances. It is impossible to say how many and great sins come to pass, and which sum up the vision and hearing therefor, as to what put the touching and chatter for filth. In short, the world is the world, even an un-world and an enemy of God. One may in the world find not something good, that pleases God, because there is one sin after another. One also feels the great (page 48) rage of God; "still it laughs, hops and jumps, is funny and good spirits, the same as if there is no risk there, but all our doing were good and delicious." (P. Walch, Tom. III, p. 1937.) This testimony of Luther is even more important, because he defended the wedding dance in his church sermon. But we have already heard since two weeks ago that he only by that allowed dance talk, which consisted in nothing more than wandering hopping, with at most of one person the other extended the hand or fingers. (It should be also here, by the way, among the distinguished Americans still often a custom that one performs only such dances. If I mention this, so nevertheless nobody should think: Oh, there we can furnish it also so. I also have to advise you against this in all seriousness for two reasons: First, is the scandal, and the other that this would just be a bridge back into worldly dancing. Of which perhaps more later.)
Nine years ago appeared in a Michigan geopolitical newspaper *) is a testimony against the dance, it seems, by a man of the world, before but should all Christians be ashamed in their heart, which view the dancing for something completely innocent, defend it, or at least excuse. Otherwise, we are not in the habit to inform here in the church of this,
-------------
*) Bay City Chronicle.
[ToC]
(Page 49) but we should be ashamed not to listen to talk from even an honest man of the world, but who has considered the matter calmly with reason; shame on us which have the light of the Word of God and yet do not want to recognize how sinful and reprehensible is the world's dance. Hear therefore, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, what this man of the world wrote in 1875: "The closeness of the personal touch of dance is greater than under any other circumstances is permitted in respectable society." (Two persons of opposite sex occurred as nearly alike as otherwise in other circumstances should happen no more. A father would throw the youth from the house, as an exceedingly impertinent person if he found him with other opportunity in so close touch with his daughter. But if he dances, he is allowed to do it. Has it become right then now all at once because one dances? No, but vice versa: because one dances in such a way, makes the dance wrong.) The Michigan continues. "Not even the best friends of the family are allowed such freedoms in the parlor, as they dance as comparative strangers to be approved." (What should we say therefore by those who want to be Christians, and even go to public balls, where they may be asked of all unchaste people to dance with them and to dance with them and embraced by them? Such professed Christians have (page 50) the word: "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers." Psalm 50:16-18) The Michigan continues: "It would be an unforgivable insult on the part of a gentleman, though he would be a welcome visit and friend if he would wrap his arm in the parlor room to a lady, her hand pushing and pulling on them so close that he could feel the throbbing of her heart." (Of course, this would be tolerated by no husband and no father, but they would take the man by the collar and throw out as a filth.) "Yet," continues the Michigan, "this freedom of ballroom acquaintance is granted!" (This to be considered as proper under other circumstances, that the devil has, thank God, can bring not out of the hearts of the people, through the dance, but he has this unchaste character for something innocent to look at, put himself into the hearts of Christians!) "We therefore do not despair because here and there to find one that agrees with the sentence: that among all the deceitful examples of demoralizing forces that are still recognized in respectable company, the dance takes rightly first place." (Quoted in the "Der Lutheraner" XXXI, p. 5 f.) Well said! For certainly there in the world are still many other "cunningly demoralizing forces," but none (page 51) is under the shield as to be an innocent, decent, honorable pleasure, the feeling thus blunted for what is chaste and of morality, as the general introduction of the worldly dance.
But, my beloved, those who want to be true Christians, not only to abstain from the worldly dancing and to not allow the same to their adolescent sons and daughters, because such a world-usual dancing a sin against the sixth commandment, namely against the law of chastity, but
[ToC]
II. also because the worldly dance is such a great scandal to either in the world as also the other faiths.
Someone annoyed says with brief words: give someone cause that he is worse, namely that he either commits a sin he would not otherwise have committed, or that he is in a sin he would have done, and reinforces the idea put, is that what he has been held for sin, no sin or the sin that a Christian could already allow. Instead of the word someone "angered" needs the word of scripture also someone an "offense given" one because the one who angers someone, as it were throwing something in the way that he stumbles and does what is a case of sin. However, one can anger a person not only (page 52) by actions which are sins in themselves, but also by such acts, which are not sins in themselves, but by means of things that God has neither commanded nor forbidden. Thus gave, for example, not only by David's adultery is a very frightful scandal, so he holds the prophet Nathan, so that he "made the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme," So they've added to this abominable sin Cause (2 Samuel 12:14), but so too once some Christians did in Corinth by the fact that they were eating before others meat sacrificed to idols, which considered this sin, the same an offense, although the eating of meat offered to idols was not in itself a sin, but a free agent thing, because through their food, they gave the cause of weak believers to follow their example and to sin against their conscience.
Unfortunately! But is there in our in our days many who want to be good Christians, if they even consider something for no sin, then nothing afterwards ask whether they give an offense to others who consider it a sin. Such have no idea that they are committing a grave sin, even if, as I said, they do what they would not in itself a sin. For thus St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, which insisted on the fact that there was indeed what they would do nothing sinful, but a free thing, "For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, (page 53) for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." (1 Corinthians 8:10-13.) Look here, my friends, even one who does something, which is in itself a free agent thing, but not afterward asked if he so one weak in the knowledge of Christians offend, may thus be the cause, that of Christ dearly redeemed man "perish", ie, is lost forever! How? So to joke with this sin? Who among us wants to be burdened with such a terrible guilt?
But hear now what Christ, our Lord said of the sin of offense. He says: "But who offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the sea, because it is deepest in the world of woe half a offense comes, it must yes offense comes come, but woe to that man through whom offense comes". (Matthew 18:6-7) What a terrible sin must hereafter be the sin of offense! If it's as if the Christ most awful words, what is there for it in human language chosen, to represent the sin of offense in all its awfulness, and to convince us of Nature (page 54) blind them. If you read these words or can listen without scaring of heart before the sin of offense, they must have a heart that is harder than stone. Oh, Consider it: Who in the sin of offense then dies, may be at least buried after a magnificent funeral sermon with great honor, which would be better after Christ's saying that he was before he committed this sin, as an abominable crime, yes, like a noxious beast had sunk with a millstone around the neck in the deepest depths of the sea. Because if this happens, he loses only the temporal life, but if he is a scandal to others willfully and thus in sin, God's wrath and condemnation falls, he loses the eternal life. Oh, bear in mind but also that Christ speaks of those words in a double woe; first, a pitiful woe the poor world, the scandal is everywhere given, and the other a wrathful woe to those who give her the scandal. Christ will say: Oh, you poor sorrow worthy world! Even those who should try to help you out of your misery of sin come your way through the scandal they give you into it, and strengthen you in it! Oh, you wretched of you who called me by Christians and by your example prevents the redeemed world to come to me! listen to, to call you my friends, you are my enemy. Instead of the world be a blessing, curse ye her? Woe to you forever and ever.
Perhaps some of us are saying now: Far from meaning that we give to the world through participation in their dance a scandal and they should hold about Christianity, rather we show them this, that also true Christianity does not condemn those innocent pleasures, and therefore this will make them inclined to Christianity, rather than to push them off. But their way of demonstrating that you are in this relationship are as blind to the world. The world knows no good that you do not dance with the essence of biblical Christianity rhymes. It appears in its ranks, it sees you, rather than for Christians to better knowledge, only miserable two-faced. Instead of you to honor, they despise you. They will then be credited with the only difference being that they are for honest, looks at you for the hypocrite she is ashamed of their own. The most terrible thing however, is that the world concludes that in general serious Christianity is nothing but a contemptible hypocrisy, nothing but an ignominious cleric coercion. Woe to the name of Christians, who in the Church today, tomorrow on the ballroom appears, kneels at the altar of today, tomorrow the world embraces a child and making fun of him turns around in circles! After all, "it must indeed come scandal, but woe to that man through whom scandal comes".
But a Lutheran Christian has to abstain also for other reasons the worldly dancing, because he is such a big scandal even to those of different faiths.
Every orthodox Lutherans know that there are also among the different faiths, true Christians, for where God's word still remains essential, since there is one true Church, since because there are also people that God's word that never comes back again empty, from the heart , so assume true believing children of God. There is also an undeniable fact, take it more seriously in the sects of the faithful with their Christianity, one so large they have then revulsion against all the usual pleasures of the world. You see now that we Lutherans, we are so strict otherwise lax in doctrine, however, in that respect, it annoys the utmost, and there she met this our doctrine with abhorrence. They consider it then do not consider it necessary to examine our teaching seriously by my, a teaching that bring such fruits could not be of God. So what do the Lutherans, who, throbbing dance on their Christian freedom, for the world and not after that kind of wonder if the kids get angry at God because the sects and push? -- In the first place, as we have seen, the worldly dance is not part of Christian liberty, but even if he had it, it should yet, who wants to be a Lutheran Christian, as used herein, proceed to the use of his Christian freedom and would rather die as the little ones which believe in the Saviour upset by reckless use of his freedom, and thereby meet him with suspicion and even disgust with the blissful pure doctrine, the Church of God is our dear familiar. Woe to him who this (page 57) do not want! He calls himself a member of our Orthodox Church, and he is her enemy and destroyer.
But time is running out: I have to rush to the conclusion.
Well, dearly beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, ye fathers and their mothers, their sons and their daughters, so I urge you and ask for the conclusion: For the love of God who has given us the law of chastity, for the love the Son of God's sake who has redeemed the whole sinful world so dearly and so do not want anyone angry, deceived and lost will, and for the love of the Spirit's, the same will, that all should come to the knowledge of truth, abstain a desire the world, with this love, which may make whatever your flesh for not absolutely true. O then each of us may now repeat the pious heart of a poet:
My heart can understand you nu,
You have to dare to be fair,
You come ere not to rest:
Say you hereby submit to the World
And what is pleasing to the flesh,
Clean off and on Christ,
Thus the property done.
Yes, then, and only then "the property is done." - To such heroic and fated decision to help us because all of the Holy Triune God, God the Father for His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior's sake, through power and effect of his Holy Spirit, to whom be thanks, praise and glory and honor from everlasting to everlasting. Amen!
(Page 58)
Hymn.
In its own melody. - Or Shall I not sing to my God.
Let us live with Jesus;
Because he is risen;
The grave must reflect us.
Jesus, our head art thou,
We are members of thy body,
Where do you live as we live.
Oh recognize, for us and,
Intimate friend, for your brothers.
Jesus, you, I live here
Dorten also with you forever.
Blessing and Our Father
CONCERNING THE theater.
Initial edifying hours.
Held on 2 November 1884 at the Trinity Church in St. Louis, Mo.
Hymn.
Melody: Punish me not in thine anger.
Arise, my soul, ready to
Guard, beg and pray,
Do not be angry that the time
Unexpectedly enter;
For it is
Satan List
Over many pious
Temptation to come.
But even more so to watch
The sin of sleep;
For it followeth on it otherwise
A long sentence,
And the distress
Together with the death
Want you in sin
Unexpectedly found.
Wake up, you cannot otherwise
Our Lord enlighten;
Guard is otherwise, your light
You are far off seemeth;
For God will
For the filling
His gifts of grace
Have open eyes.
(Page 60)
Guard, that you Satan's cunning
In sleep does not find,
Because he is usually nimble,
That he fool you;
For God gives,
He loves
Often in his punishments,
If they are sleeping safely.
Watch that you do not the world
Subdue by force,
Or, if they are adjusted
Bring back to him.
Awake and see,
never so
A lot of false brethren
Among your members.
Guard it well for you,
For serving flesh and heart,
So it's not slovenly
God's grace forfeit;
For it is
full cunning
And can feign soon
And flatter in pride.
Pray also in the process,
In the midst of the guards;
For the Lord has set you free
Make of all this,
What you press
And captivates,
The fact that you remain drowsy
And do not do his work.
Prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, by thy holy Apostle you call us kindly. "Do not love the world nor the things in the world, If any man love the world, which is not the Father's love for everything. in the world (namely lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life) is not from the Father but from the world and the world passeth away and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." We have to sue you, but all and confess, cleaves not only of nature all our heart in this world and its vanities, but that, even after you are called out by a holy calling from the world into your blessed kingdom, but still with us the world's wealth, joy and honor do irritating and powerful lure, and its apparent glory dazzles us, and alas, all too often takes us captive. So we pray you, O faithful God, Thou wilt but give us recognize alive by your Holy Spirit, that all pleasure of this world is but a poison to the soul, though it tastes sweet, but brings death, eternal death, the bitter to.) Oh, let us recognize it alive, that we make a pilgrimage here in a foreign country, and that we are only there to come with you into our home, in our true native land, that we have to work here, and received only there to rest ; that we have to fight here, to be crowned and only there, that we must sow here, and should only be harvested there, and finally, that if we (page 62) to the world join us here, we will also be used to partake of their eternal loss, to be eternally lost and damned. Oh Lord, our God, have mercy on us. Protect us from the broad way in the world, that leadeth to damnation, and bring us to the close, narrow way of your children, that leads to life. Get us but also by the power of your grace on such a path, and bring us to everlasting, blissful goal. Your word to bless this hour of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
[ToC]
Beloved in the Lord!
In the first two exceptional edification hours arranged by our dear congregation, we first searched for the word of God in answer to the question and found: Why should those who want to be Christians, neither themselves nor their children, the worldly dance permit? Today, we come now to the question: "Why should those who want to be Christians, also abstain from the Theater?" And also we look for the answer hereby especially in God's word.
But maybe there are some among us who think thus: What? does not the preacher of our church congregation go too far when he condemns every theater and declares something unchristian? Maybe some among us therefore think in this way could be advised on entirely false (page 63) laws by restricting Christian freedom too much in such indifferent things. One thinks also perhaps: the fact that many are even in our old German fatherland, which are very good Christians, and nevertheless go very diligently to the theater. But very often we have already read in the newspapers, that even as we may well believe, our God-fearing German Emperor goes not uncommonly to the theater. Yes, some may know even by their own pastors, that they now and then wandered now and then when most famous pieces were given in the theater after they had stood the day before in the holy place. Will not the youth do then worse secretly if you denied the theater to them? Will not the chords, if they are stretched too tightly, finally tear? Some will even say: We know well that the so-called devout Pietists rejected and condemned the theater, but you'd think maybe this was more pietistic than sober Lutheran. -- That you so think you stand in a very questionable prejudice and I have to meet it first. After all, what good would all of my speeches, if you thought one go too far in this? So now I'll heal from such a dangerous idea, so let me first provide you a whole range of evidence which we find even in the writings of ancient honorable nations that have just as much as us now called Old Lutherans which rejected the play. And so you know for sure that I give to you (page 64) the text itself, so I'm going to read their testimonies to the wording to, not because I would have spared the trouble, they memorize my memory, but that you may be safer the more that they are not my words, but, as I said, even words of the ancient pagans. The famous Greek pagan lawgiver Solon, who 600 years before Christ's birth in Athens lived, that famous Greek city, sat down to the contrary, as had been introduced in Athens the drama (until then reaches the origin of the theater), and declared: "If we applaud the fraud in our public plays, so we will see him soon in our Contracts and agreements." He realized then the depravity of human nature, if it was possible by blind heathens. He knew well when performing in an interesting manner the lists of scams and people, perhaps even with the accompaniment of music, so nobody will thus shied away from these horrors, but rather instructed to do so.
When the same Solon met those on the street which had introduced the play in Athens (his name was Thespis), he called to him: "Are you not ashamed of lying?" In his play, namely people were also introduced as speaking, the lied gross, just as in our days. Thespis replied: "I lie only in jest," on which Solon said: "When we praise it, we will plunge the state into real (page 65) misery, and as we love such a joke, so the jokes will be serious!" So speaks a blind heathen, guided only by the light of reason, by the light of nature. Listen further.
Plato, the famous Greek pagan philosopher, who lived 400 years before Christ's birth, perhaps the noblest of all the pagan philosopher, described in a book, like a perfect state must be written. In this book he gives off the following sentence about the theater: "Plays which arouse the passions turn the direction of the same and are therefore detrimental to morality." Hence, in the state which he described as the pattern no theatre had to go well according to his view. Since there the passion is excited, for example the passion of unforgiveness, anger, vengeance, lust and the like.
Another famous pagan philosopher, who Luther remembers often, Aristotle, who lived 300 years before Christ, spoke out as his principle that: "The visits of the drama should be prohibited to young people; permission to be dangerous until the maturity of the age and discipline them fixed in sobriety, I made bullet-proof strong in virtue, and against seduction and debauchery." The poor blind man could clearly see how dangerous for the youth were of the stimuli, lying in a theatrical representation of impropriety, so he wanted visits to see them banned; but here he said that if a person got more experienced, (page 66) so he would be finally "bullet proof" against seduction and temptation. He did not just his own heart. However, is probably just for the youth in the theater special feature harmful, destructive, seductive, but even men and women, yes, even old men can be captured by the magic of the theater, and be plunged into the abyss of horrible sins. Aristotle adds that "the state of the actor usually moral depravity is peculiar." So, just as now. Even the pagans complained that the comedians were mostly people of the loosest morals, and therefore a plague for the people. Even with these pagan Greeks, the actors were in such poor esteem that in the Greek language the actor a "hypocrite" was called, that is, a hypocrite. Anyone who understands a little English, will know that, because the English word hypocrite is the same as that Greek word. But hypocrite hypocrite means. Actor and hypocrites among the Greeks was one and the same word. They had no other word. So they wanted to say his whole profession is on the fact that he is pretending. He disguises himself as a king today, tomorrow is a beggar, and a woman today is a virtuous matron, tomorrow a dissolute prostitute. Similar thought but also the honest pagan Romans. The pagan Roman philosopher, just this one remark, Seneca, who lived at the time of the Apostles, said: "You will rarely leave the theater, (page 67) to be grown without overambitious and lush." O how shamed to a Seneca are so many Christians, even Christian preachers who go to the theater and think that they go out improved, because they might have been moved to tears in a tragedy! Keeping this for something good, and yet it is only produced by carnal means.
A recent world historian tells of the pagan Roman people: "The playwrights and actors were not allowed to serve in the army, still to vote then in the town meeting." So even for so infamous were the greatest artists in theater, that they were not even included among the soldiers, as men of an evil calling. Much less could they vote then in the town hall meeting. And that was, as I said, the law of a heathen people! "The police exercised the most arbitrary power over them, and all city officials were entitled to one actor where and when they wanted to punish and lock up." They were ostracized as it were. "Therefore, every respectable citizen held away from the employment from such a despised art. The leader of the troupe, usually also the first actor was usually a freed man, his people his slaves." (Wernicke, I, 553) A free-born citizens would never have lent himself to be an actor, at most one such citizen, who had formerly been a slave and then released. And all that now belonged to his unit (page 68) are only slaves, and that his slaves, whom he had bought and taught. It was even in the third century AD Roman public law, that no free-born citizens with females who had been on the stage can see, enter into a marriage, or could even be an actor himself. In short, the Romans had occupied every actor with a certain kind of infamy.
[ToC]
Behold, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, so have judged the old pagans from the theater, only guided by reason, only persuaded by the remnants of the natural law, which was in them. Is it feasible that herein the pagans had gone too far, that they had practiced to great strictness of morals, that they would have been too timid conscience in regard to sin and to what leads to sin? Must have and it is conceivable, however, that an enlightened Christian views freer about what right and wrong, what is harmless and what is morally dangerous and harmful, as a blind heathen? Never! It is just like the theater with the worldly dance. In both are shown the power and the curse of fashion. Once a certain kind of dancing has become the world standard, so now there are very few that feel the unseemly, indecent, immoral, namely whoremongering of the dance; and so it is today with the theater.
But maybe some say here : Certainly the ancient pagans have condemned the theater only because (page 69) their plays were much more filthy than those performed in our Christian era. But this is not so. First, it is also in our so-called Christian era playhouses, which are true moral cesspools, ponds of all the sins of fornication swamps. We have those in our own great city of St. Louis. Such taverns, where all unclean spirits to drive her game, yes it certainly given to the Gentiles also. But we have still plays from the very earliest period of pagans who are purer than the best plays that have been written by so-called Christians. And one has to consider even this: If a play is obviously filthy through and through, so will it just under the animal had sunk human delight, and it will give only to those of laughter, nothing about God, not to court and eternity ask, to some extent in all just decent, yes, even with unchaste people who exercise their unchastity in secret, they excite shame, disgust and revulsion. Much more dangerous are the fine dramas, in which the sin of fornication only hinted at with all sorts of lewd gestures, lewd speeches, ambiguities, covert allusions, as when a transparent veil is spread over sin, just to guide the eye then, and heart and limbs to make the more prurient. So you do not mean that this is the cause that even puritanical pagans have pronounced that sentence about the theater, because their (page 70) plays without exception were obviously filthy. They have rather short, the whole scene being condemned, not only the most vulgar comedies, but also those dramas in which they withdrew with the highest propriety, even those famous tragedies, in which all the eternal law of nature and of an iron fate of all man holds sway, is derived. Therefore, an English church historian by the name of Milner (Joseph) writes at end of the last century about the difference between the ancient pagan and modern so-called Christian dramas the following: "The theater is and must by nature be a school of impurity. In some respects, of lesser importance like the newer drama can be different from the former; the spirit of both is the same throughout." Consider well: That says an English historian, no Old Lutherans, also no over spiritual enthusiast, but a very sober man. He says, basically, it is entirely the same spirit, which is found in all plays, even when they are seemingly modest and appears decent. Because if not at the same time, the attraction of the flesh, yes, were not the sting of fornication with it, so would the secular people not rush to the theater, and be looking for his heaven and salvation from Earth. "It is," adds the historian continuing, "the same mixing of the sexes to the same irritation of unchaste desires, the same mockery of Christianity." (Page 71) (Quoted in the publication. "Art and drama." Gütersloh 1883, p. 58) This testimony is all the more important because, as I said, it comes from an Englishman. For England has given birth to the greatest playwright the world has ever seen, who has surpassed all others who wanted to be even a Christian. But also this church historian does not exclude the works of this great dramatist. He says the same spirit prevails in it as in the ancient heathen. And with full rights. But nearly all come in, before even the most famous dramatic works of the same part blasphemous, others incredibly frivolous, others filthy speeches, which no man can hear God-fearing and chaste in its mouth and may or read. His art may be ever so large but it is often in the service of the devil.
[ToC]
But, my friends, it not only puritanical nations that have condemned the theater, but also all zealous, Christian preachers in all ages, from apostolic times until the present day. And of these, now let me now present some evidence. However, this in advance! In the second century it became the custom that if one wanted to be in the Christian community by holy baptism, that he not only recite the holy apostolic faith and confess, but also had to pronounce a certain renunciation formula. However, this renunciation formula had in the following words: "I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy works, and everything (page 72) your pomp." The old church teacher Tertullian, who lived in the second century, tells us, however, are under this "Pomp" or pageantry of the devil meant above all the drama, as though the devil the greatest pomp, the greatest pomp, the greatest splendor, especially in the plays, if he wants to seize a poor man from the kingdom of Christ and pull him into his sinister kingdom. Thus in the third century Cyprian wrote as Bishop of Carthage in Africa, who some years afterwards died as a martyr, to his brother of Eukratius, as an actor had been taken out by being baptized in the Christian church: "You ask me what I think of the actor among you, who continues also to teach others in the nefarious art, which he learned, and whether it any longer be allowed to remain in communion with the Church. It seems to me with the majesty of God and his Gospel with the regulations be quite incompatible, that the Church should be stained with such a thing. the law is forbidden for men to wear women's clothes (Deuteronomy 22:5). How much worse it must not be not only to attract women's clothes, but also to express indecent gestures and others to teach them? this way the young men learn nothing good, but are corrupted from the ground up." Thus writes the holy martyr Cyprian for whom Luther looked, after Augustine, as the greatest church teacher of Christian antiquity. There is, by the way, no (page 73) church father who had not been zealous against the theater; Augustine, Lactantius, Ambrose, and many others can not find words enough to prove what a shameful thing are the plays. We have of course no time to hear about it in a long series of testimonies. I want to share with but only a section of a sermon of famous Chrysostom held in the year 387 to prove my claim, who was then preacher at Antioch in the Antioch, in which the faithful were first called Christians. He later became archbishop and patriarch in Constantinople. He passes for the greatest orator of Christian antiquity. In this sermon he persuaded his Christian audience in part as follows: "I think that many of those which left yesterday our meeting and ran to the plays of the malice attend today among us. I wish I knew who they were so that I could exclude them from this sacred community." He meant, of course not, that he would do it all alone, but with the whole community. Because of the theater-goers, he rightly believed that they belonged in the spell if they were fact despite all the training and admonition in the sin of attending the theater. Hence, he continues straight away: "Not with the intention that they were always excluded, but that they should be excluded again if they had done repentance for this very thing. One will maybe ask what they would have committed for a great vice" (page 74) [ToC] -- there have been also at that time such fine Christians who asked so -- "that they should be excluded from the community of the church." (My answer:) "can any crime be greater than the vices of those who, after they have become perfect adulterers, like furious dogs without any shame, partake of this holy table?" So before Chrysostom appalled that a man who was in the theater yesterday, today, at the table of the Lord appears! "Do you want to know the nature of her adultery, so I will cite the words of him who will one day judge the whole life of the people, he says. 'Who looketh on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.' Often wakes ungodly desires by looking at a woman who one meets publicly and by chance, with much too curious eyes" (He had said that they were "perfect adulterers". There may well have made some big eyes, and have thought: What do think because of that we have at night guilty of shameful things, but want to say Chrysostom: Oh no, I do not mean I'm talking about the adultery, of which the Saviour speaks when he says:. "Who a woman looketh to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." There is still no one be so bold to say: well I've heard everything, and viewed with pleasure, but comes to me not a bad idea!) "With what face can those who (page 75) rather go with all intent and diligence to the plays, and their eyes are on those infamous players, with what face can they say that they view them not to lust after her? The words be there talking incite to lust, and the chants of the players are adulterous songs, the voices of the players are looking for to wake up unchastity, eyes, cheeks and lips are painted." (Just like now young maidens, and probably women, make up the cheeks, lips and even the smear with paint to look quite lively! What a disgrace to Christianity!) "the whole figure and the clothes are the same bait to mislead and deceive the listener. The audience are careless, left to the violence of fraud, and everything they have heard and be hear it, it provokes lust. Hereto there is the noise and the flattery of music, which made their minds effeminate, enervated, and by the plots of prostitutes and then brought the pleasure that they can take a prisoner is more likely." (For we dare not think that the music is so completely a neutral thing. There is also a great many pieces of music, to which nothing bad is sung, whose harmony is entirely created from it, to charm the people and him to fool all sorts of nefarious voluptuous pictures. O, the devil has put all arts and all sciences in his service, and besides, he often goes about it much more crafty and wiser, than we Christians in the use of arts and (page 76) sciences for the empire of God.) "For sneaks here (in church), where psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are sung, where the Word of God is recited, have been met where all of the fear of God and a holy horror creeps, here in the church I say, the evil desire, like a wily predator but sometimes in the heart (pious Christians): how could since those who see in the plays nothing good to hear more, keep them free as they could the same to overcome because, where they are besieged by their evil desires on all sides?... Do you not tremble that you hear the voice of the prophets and Apostles which lead you into the Interior of the Holy Scripture, with just the ears with which you've heard the speeches of lewd wenches?" (Yes, my friends, that is an abomination before the Lord, for he says: "What did you take my covenant in thy mouth, so you hate my discipline and toss my words behind thee?" Psalm 50:16) Chrysostom continues: "Are you not frightened that you are with just the heart, with whom thou hast of that deadly poison taken, take the Body and blood of your Savior, if you are the plays you have attended, you are the church not with pleasure?... to attend and listen to the speeches of chastity and temperance of desire with disgust and annoyance." (Should there be those among us, young men or maidens, who could be already itching to go into these idol temples of the heathen, so also I ask before God, whether they (page 77) must not confirm this? From the time when they went into this temptation, to seek their pleasure, they were only the church indifferent, finally disgusting, especially if it was the preacher in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, which is chastity, which is self-denial. For when they struck the conscience. You are a transgressor of the divine commandment). "For such a speech is not for you a lesson, but a charge. You will fall into despair and finally you break away even from this salutary lesson!" (Chrysostom would say: The more you cost of this bait of the devil, the sweeter they will taste you, and finally it will come with you, meaning that if the church will not tolerate this, you prefer the church, the theater as the back sweeping, rather against the punitive voice of the Word of God, before the flesh, coaxing voice of the actor recklessly clogs thine ear. If ever, is now the history of theater attendance of those who adhere to it to the church. first they sneak in the theater with a bad conscience. the more they do this, however, the more pleasure they find in it and the more they find reasons to justify this pleasure as an innocent. Finally, their actions is revealed. preacher and community punishes it. But the poor man is already enchanted. He relied only on his Christian liberty, but after he sees that he has not his actions can justify it now meets hatred (page 78) of Christianity, which will deprive him of his dearest desire. So he says to himself at last rid of the church and Christianity to be a free man. O frightful end! The lust for theater has deprived him of his Christianity to his God, to his Savior, for God's word and salvation of his soul!) "I beseech you therefore," so now continuing Chrysostom, "that you flee even not only the shameful plays, but also may stay away from those which visit it."(O would, but again this in mind every church member! It is not enough that we just not go in to the theater, but where we feel that a brother the same thing sometimes visited, we have a sacred duty to him vividly present the danger in which he proceeds.) "Everything that happens there," says Chrysostom continuing, "not a real pleasure, but your ruin, and a real punishment." (A punishment it is, he says. For whoever the Spirit of God no longer wants to reprove himself, whom God punished already blind.) "For," concludes Chrysostom his speech, "what good is but a short pleasure when a long pain from it arises and if the person to whom by his desire neither day nor night's sleep, everyone is unpleasant and repugnant? Only examine yourself to find out how you are when you walk out of church, and raise as you are, if you are from the plays returning home. Compare both days with each other, so you will not need my admonitions. This comparison (page 79) will clearly show you the size of the benefits that you gain here (in church), and the size of the damage you inflict there (in theater). -- This I have said my beloved, and I will not cease to say such. Those who languish in this disease, we want to heal, but the healthy ones keep. From this manner our speech will help both: those that they give up the vice; these that they go not into ruin." (The holy Doctor of the Church St. John Chrysostom Sermons and Brief Letters translated from the Greek by Johann Andreas Cramer Volume VI.. p. 554 ff.)
[ToC]
Similarly all other godly fathers have inveighed against the theater. And God also has given his blessing. Has until the eleventh century after Christ there were no so-called Christian theater, but if Christians wanted to go to the theater, they had to go to a pagan theater. But since the Roman priests saw little to be suppressed of the desire of many Christians for the play, so more people have begun in the eleventh century to establish so-called religious theater. There it was played in the church. Initially, it was certainly put forward nothing worldly. It was shown, for example, the birth, sufferings, the resurrection of Christ and the like, where all the people appeared which are mentioned in sacred history. But besides well meant, (page 80) this was not the right way to heal Christians from their carnal lust of theater. The dear word of God should be preached to us not by theatrical presentation on the way into the heart, but by the simple preaching of the Gospel. However, it had just got lost. Although it is not to be denied, nevertheless that the church plays had the good that the unknowing Christian people came to know by the plays some important facts of the history of salvation which would have remained usually unknown to him, nevertheless, this satisfaction of the theatrical desire came to a sad end. The simple presentation of Bible stories to the people was finally boring. They wanted to be entertained and provoked to laughter. So they finally blended into the serious story therefore all sorts of antics. In the beginning in the Lutheran church there had been no public theaters and plays; only by the end of 16th century arose such. They came from France over to Germany, as almost all such disasters had come to us Germans from France. But now directly our theologians also sat down against it. That in Luther's writings, however there is no testimony, therefore, that there had been no such public and City National Theatre was, but dramatic representations of youthful students, only allowed in private to practice the Latin language. But at the end of the 16th century came public plays in Lutheran countries.
[ToC]
Let now our dear gathered brothers and sisters (page 81) hear of our theologians as they have judged it. Leonhard Hutter, professor of the theology to Wittenberg, born in 1563, the famous defender of the Formula of Concord which one of his time called in this course to a large extent the re-gift of Luther, writes in his Christian doctrine of the faith: "Are actors to be admitted to the holy Communion? Answer: Holy Cyprian denies this in his Epistles, because it does not agree with the divine majesty, still with the church discipline that the honour and purity of the church finds out such a shameful and disgraceful touch and is thereby stained." (Loci theol. Artik. 19th fol. 728.) Out of this we see quite clearly that our old, godly theologians signed the judgments of the Church Fathers.
Dannhauer, the famous Strasbourg theologian answers in his "Theology of Conscience", as we have already seen the following question: "Is equalization of the world permitted in indifferent things?" and he responds as follows: "The apostle has in Romans 12:2 the rule prescribed for the conscience: 'Do not you treat as equal of this world.' That this is in the things which are evil in itself, is not permitted, is beyond question."(Dannhauer want to say: When the Apostle says: "Be not conformed to this world", he may not have meant yes: You shall not steal and curse the world, and the like, which is in itself sinful, but because he speaks of those things which are in themselves no sin or that of indifferent things, but for the sake of circumstances that (page 82) are associated are sinful.) Dannhauer continues thus: "Instead of indifferent things, the question the way of life, the habits, dress costumes, music, comedy, French dances. Since the French country is the extract and the model of the world where the spirit of the world rules. I do deny, therefore, that it is allowed, because 1) the Greek word (aeon), which the Apostles used, identifies not only the world but also the customs of the world, 'the course of this world' (Ephesians 2, 2);, ; so that the apostle wants to say this: Do not lead such a life which is similar to those Menchen which love this world which you have renounced in the baptism.... Over here are found Urtheile of the theologians. Thus writes, e.g., Salvianus (a church teacher of the fifth century) in his writing 'from the government of Gottes': 'Then what is the first confession of the Christian in salutary baptism? What else but that they testify that they give up the devil and his pomp, plays, and his works? So are plays and the like pomp works of the devil, even after our baptismal confession. How can you so, therefore, O Christian, attend plays, of which you confess that they are the work of the devil? You have once renounced the devil and his plays, and that's why you have to recognize that you, if you return with the knowledge and consent of the plays, return unto the devil.'... 2) equality in the world is not allowed as Romans 12:2 (page 83) provides the contrary, the renewal. Another Imperial Constitution requires different manners; Christ's kingdom is not of this world. So it also does not permit the customs of the world." (Theology conscientiaria II, 101sq..) Dannhauer wants to say: The church is God's kingdom, whence it is not the Empire Now every empire has his special customs. Hence, no Christian should take part in the customs which the world has, also not if it seems, he can do it without getting covered. If he sees these are rather actually customs of the evil, ungodly world, so he does not take part in them. Thus the apostle wants to have it if he writes that those who want to be Christians should not treat themselves as equal to this world. Oh beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, how much, must be reformed how much afterwards also among us if we want to allow to reform ourselves according to this word of the apostle! How much equality with the world one notices it when you step into the family among us, and namely when you can see exactly our young people that are like their parents! Our negotiation adjusts quite well to the Reformation Festival just acclaimed; for us only reforming the teaching is not enough, it must also follow a holy life, or God takes back from us the pure doctrine.
In another publication, namely in his Gospel sermons, writes the same Dannhauer that not all people are able to console themselves with the words of Christ: (page 84) "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will come to you" (Matthew 6:33) sets, adding: "Not that goeth fourth consolation to the idle spinning, weaving, and although the work but mischievous spider work, namely all those who do useless work, barkers, jugglers (or conjuring), comedians and other servants. "(Evangelical monument. Strasbourg 1661 p. 702)
[ToC]
The same Dannhauer writes at length in his "Theology of Conscience" that all unrepentant had to be taken in church discipline, and adds: "Among them are those which are infamous through shameful things, or do not have a good name, who want to know nothing about repentance, couplers, public prostitutes, comedians, etc., which make up sins like a craft." (Theol. conscientiaia I, 1137)
Look here, my friends, even those old strictly orthodox teachers of our Church, which is nothing less than were on spiritual fanatics who, far from making unforbidden things into sin, but for the freedom of Christians in all indifferent things with great zeal fought, so that the enemies of the pure doctrine have often even repeated after them spitefully, they had indeed kept on pure doctrine in their senses to the promotion of godliness, but they were unconcerned, even they have inveighed against the theater with great seriousness. And have warned in the best times of our church not only spirited zealous preachers their congregations (page 85) but also pious professors before their students; because the professors knew then that they just had to ensure that their poor students would not be a victim of the world. Now, however, only a few university teachers will be asked afterward the slightest thing whether their students lead a truly Christian life. Now the students can live as they want, only if they do not come in conflict with the police. Let them, if they have the resources, run to the theater every day, but this does not take from them the fame to be good students. Yes, if one would have to steal the money first, so it would be easily forgiven as a youthful mistake, since he goes there because of his great love of art! O blind guides of the blind! The end is that they both fall into the pit. So do not wonder, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, when we raise our voices loud, because it concerns here not only yours, but also our own salvation. But God says in his word also to us: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at (page 86) thine hand. "(Ezekial 3:17-18) But now God has long since in his words spoken the sentence of death upon all who walk the broad way in the world with its lust. So we have it to you then say well, and warn you, otherwise God is on the last day to say to us: Thou wicked servant, I had called you, that you should warn to rescue my poor congregation, you have not done it but blessed and honored them to be praised by them, now go even to where you led your sheep! Consider also that if we have warned you and you did not want to hear, God will acquit us of your blood once and call your blood by your own hands.
The famous Wittenberg theologian Quenstedt has written a morality for pastors, which says in part: "In theater, games, comedies, dances and other solemnities, or rather profane antics, a teacher consecrated to the holy office should not appear, but take himself away from it, and also in this manner register that he does not approve what goes on there. "(Ethica pastoralis p. 299) Therefore, the preachers in Germany have a heavy responsibility, who are not afraid to go their poor members ahead in these houses to the vanity, as to the dear, precious time strike shameful death, to dishonor God and to drive out evil lusts from these houses again.
J. Franz Buddeus, a professor at Jena, writes in 1723 in his "Doctrine of Morals", "barriers of chastity and purity find anything that can irritate and inflame impure desires, as, except Entertainment and intemperance, and besides dealing with impure and lustful people, to excite evil desires relevant images "(which is now available for the whole shameful books with pictures! when she deflects, one is forced to quickly strike again. you see, painted by one who was full of whores spirit)," bawdy reading books, novels and poets."-- (in terms of novels and short stories, let's talk about it another time; it is too important to be settled only by a few words, as we hear more and more that especially our young men are very keen on novels and short stories, but also our young women. A true passion for reading, it has undertaken. Oh, do not they suspect that horrible poison they take into their hands! but, as I said, that we would like it casually discuss this, but it is a once-treated in some detail), -- "even by the apostles so seriously forbidden idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:11), dances, as they are common among men, comedies and dramas, because if this did not feed and irritate the evil desires of the people, they would find no audience." (Institut. theol. Moral. Leipzig 1723 p. 501) Very true! For why does the world attend the theater (page 88) so passionately? First they want to hear something adventurous and see to the tedious monotony, and from the cares of this life come out again, but most of all pleasurable to the flesh to procure food. Christians certainly do not go to this latter cause in the theater's sake, but for them the satisfaction of the flesh is not the purpose, it is always the result of their visit to the theater.
[ToC]
Now some from Johann Georg Palm, a pastor in the city of Hamburg. He wrote a treatise in 1732, which is titled: "The Undetected Sins of the World." In this work he writes among other things the following: "I wonder if the time is expected to be lost for that one spends in operas, comedies and other such plays; I am sure the question is not answered by all in the same way. The people who find their desire in such futile things, people who have learnt nothing else than to amuse their mind with follies they will give a lot to justify these things." (God bless the dear man in the grave! He was a preacher in a town really full of sin, namely he was there a preacher just of the distinguished world. However, he did not let himself mend his mouth, but said the full truth in the face of his listeners, whether they might love him so or hate him.) Palm continues: "Let us think a little thing but the closer.... "Let us, however, think a little more exactly on this thing .... God grants a delight for us, admittedly, in this (page 89) life. He also does not resist to to amuse us in fine creatures and to encourage our mind. It depends on it only as one furnishes his joy and delight. The words are strange, is it the people of God is held up as their joy to be in one's nature: 'Thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God' (5 Mos 16, 11.). What does this mean, however, rejoice before the Lord God? The interpretation of them is this: We should revel in the world so that one cannot forget his God, but his fear of the Lord, and it always has in mind. Examine now the fact whether such people who sit at public plays, in which they hear not as disgraceful, annoying, or at least vain, ridiculous and foolish things there are able to rejoice before the Lord or to set their sentiment to God!" (The Hamburg Theatre was one of the most brilliant of the time especially in the free imperial cities where were the first ones that were picking the fruit from the forbidden tree which France transplanted to Germany.) "I say further: We have the freedom to our minds by all sorts of amusements to encourage and refresh; but never is it given to us the freedom to destroy it, to spoil it, or to fill with vanities and follies, because our mind is bent anyhow already to the fact that it falls with pleasure on futile and trifling things. But what do those who spend a lot of time at such plays do? Can I say that such people (page 90) encourage and refresh their minds thereby? No way! I must confess, rather, that they thus perish, because through such plays are many vain thoughts and ideas planted in our minds, that they occur to us ever again, or stop in our prayers if you pray either to God or the Holy Supper use [will] "(Yes, a Christian must have in mind.! goes into it, what will he put online for pictures in front of the eyes What is not only useless, but wicked, shameful speech it because listening to how loud arrows in his interior pass. Now he comes home;! He is not a callous man, he really wants to still be a true Christian, he proposes to his beloved Bible and behold him come back the foolish things, the wicked speeches, yes, has the dirty jokes, is filled with foam, the buffoon into memory, and all the blessings of the divine word is gone! And when he now completely to the Holy communion is possible, since it the devil certainly in his noose as he whispers to him: "Do you know yet, of what time to go back in the theater and he said?" And gone is all devotion! He wants, when he was not ashamed before the people, rather, that he still would ride not in this dreadful feeling the body and blood of Christ. But it does not help, he says, he takes the heavenly food, and beaten conscience he goes home! He thinks maybe it still does not work because it is truly now high time to make a vow to God (page 91 ) never to go into this house of doom. For he says in his blindness, not the theater, but his evil heart to blame for the filth that has been felt in it was) - now called the dear Palm the most important thing, when he continues. "Or when one of his death-bed wishes to prepare for his departure." (Nevertheless, Oh God wants to preserve every in mercies that he, after he has come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, any more to these dangerous houses does not go. Particularly he wants to preserve our poor youth from it. Since if on the street the big posters, with the most garish colours see splendidly dekorirt and the allerinteressantesten situations showing, there their imagination is already incredibly excited by these pictures; if she reads, however, afterwards in the newspaper, like delightfully, how brilliant the image has been, there she probably thinks: "This must be a true heaven here on earth! O, if you there look at this magnificence, how this would delight you!" And see, the devil has him already in the fool's noose! He goes and loses faith and falls from Christ and, perhaps not until shortly before his death, he thinks. "I need to get back" the death of him sits on the tongue but had since whispers of the devil scornfully: "Do you remember this, and what you have heard here and there?" And then his eyes the figures come from, because he has seen, and the words in the memory, because he has heard, and lo, they take from him the thought also (page 92) offering grace to die in faith, and – without faith he passes away! For God is not mocked. Oh, I should say, the Gentiles have been angels against the Christians who drink up to in the knowledge of the crucified Christ, the cup of lust to the fullest, while many of those poor heathen in their blindness recognized the immorality, hated it however, and filed testimony.)
[ToC]
Palm continues: "A bad advantage! I think even worse, there are a lot of people are still sighing heartily on their deathbed that they have so many vain things in the world have seen and heard!". (As it does so many great, what he saw and heard everything, how he got to know people, and thinks wonder what kind of fame that. If he comes but once in need of his soul, because he realizes what great harm him this is all done and still does because his poor memory is probably very true for vain things, however forgets good, divine things too easily and quickly). Palm closes. "For the time it manifests itself, as such things distract our mind and can not come to the right devotion. Who will say that is different than the time lost was different, the one used to such plays?" (Ibid Hamburg, 1732, p. 652 ff.) --
While we, my beloved, have not yet come with a segment, but the short time allotted us is past. So I think for sure the best is, we conclude that in God's name today herewith. (Page 93) Next time will be, God willing, all the missing testimony be read on the theater, even those people in our of time of the world. And then I want to show in summary form, what scriptures testify against the theater.
Hymn.
Mel Criminal me not in thine anger.
Drum then, let us forever
Vigils, prayers, praying,
Because the fear, need and risk
Ever come closer;
For the time
Is not far, because God will judge us
And destroy the world.
Blessing and Our Father.
CONCERNING THE theater.
-------------
Second edifying hour.
Held on 23 November 1884 in the Immanuel Church in St. Louis, Mo.
Hymn.
Mel O that I had a thousand tongues.
What you give, then, O my soul,
God who gives you all day?
What is in your womb cavity,
The gay and he likes him?
It must be the dearest and best:
Give him, give him the heart alone.
You must, what belongs to God, to God,
Say, soul, the heart where it is due?
The devil, he hates life,
Where this is live, hell pain;
Thee, Thee, O God, you alone should
My heart will be dedicated to upstream.
So take out now, what you require,
List all the firstborn ohn,
The heart, that thou, Creator denounce,
That you have been angry so
I give thee's willing, you alone
Did it pay, it's yours.
Whom should I treat my dear heart,
As to him who gives me his?
I can call you my dearest heart,
You have loved me to death.
My heart your heart one heart alone,
Shall be thine, and none other.
(Page 95)
Prayer.
Oh yes, Lord Jesus, you and yours alone the hearts of all people and our poor hearts. Thou hast created it, created to your eternal home, and after it had been stolen from you once, you've earned it back to you with suffering, bleeding and dying. And now you're standing in front of every heart's door, and knock at the finger of your Holy Spirit so that you will be than. And where enlightens you as you pull back into the heart to beat it on your house, cleanse and renew it, decorate it with your gifts, fulfill it already here with comfort, peace and joy and want it to last this time saturate with ineffable, with absolute, with everlasting joy. - But, oh, Lord Jesus, Thou knowest how easily it can happen when we do not wake up, pray and fight, that our hearts, in which once you're moved in with our baptism, the world and its vanity, love wins again, and that you must therefore take them off! Oh, we pray you, Lord Jesus, give us the futility and the deception of all pleasure and glory of this world alive, and let's learn to recognize, however, that those are just truly happy, you who dwell in their hearts and the throne. But then also staying with us until we get to where you are, and see Your glory, that you had with your father before the foundation of the world, where we stay with you and praise you and bless for ever and ever. Amen.
Beloved in the Lord Jesus!
The object, which we will now deal with in this fourth extraordinary edifying hour, is, as you know, again the question: Why should those who want to be Christians, to include the visit to the theater and allow the same to not simply their children? Now, maybe some fear of you, our earnest zeal against the theater was surely only a whim of the preachers of our Synod, inasmuch Others who want it to be good Christians and faithful servant of Christ, in this non-relationship so scared be, but liberal would think, I've been looking at the last moment put away hour edifying this dangerous prejudice. Because you are as long as you still caught by the prejudice, our earnestness and zeal against the theater was only one of too much eccentricity the preacher of our Synod of Missouri, as long as you will for our reasons not to listen, and above all not an open heart have. So I gave you therefore already presented a lengthy series of testimonies of honorable nations, and pious Christians of all ages, bear witness in which the same, that the theater is not something harmless, but something Offensive, highly dangerous corruption of morals and obviously sinful, be followed by no respectable man, much less wanted to know who to be a true Christian should take part. With the testimony of the Christian world, we are edifying in the last hour (page 97) yet come to an end, and I cannot deny myself still catch up the remaining. Three weeks ago we heard testimonies of theologians. Today, we hear testimonies from lay people who have not thought so because of their office to have to take testimony against this custom of the world, not because Christ was alive and his spirit in them.
The famous godly jurist Dr. Ahasuerus Fritsch, princely Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Councillor and Consistorial president wrote in 1699 in his book "Random Divine Devotions": "It is surprising that theologians are not afraid to defend such things (like drama) which disgust also many conscientious politicians. Why does one of today's world, which already is quite a mess, speak the word? Is it because a thing is for the glory of God and edifying of the neighbors? Have not such operas devoured many tons of gold? Is there no other amusement, as found in such things?"(Ibid Th II, p. 546 f.) We must admit, however: in the period in which this is written, 1699, it was no longer as originally in our church. Probably one wanted to go off of no article of faith, but at that time the zeal in the care of godliness had decreased, and the result was that with the God-blest life also afterwards the pure doctrine was lost, so that, as we see, even a lawyer some preachers so publicly had to punish, (page 98) that they not chastised such worldly pleasures such as the visit of the theater, probably even defended.
[ToC]
Let us hear now also a testimony on the theater, which is somewhat more than a hundred years ago been placed in America, namely in Congress. The dear brothers and sisters may also see that America went not forward in moral respect since that time, but has declined. Even during the American Revolutionary War, two years after the Declaration of Independence, on October 12 and 16, 1778, American Congress took the following two decisions:
"Because true religion and good morals are the only foundations of public liberty and prosperity are:
"decided, was that the various States, and are hereby most earnestly recommended, to take effective measures of the transportation thereof, and for that very reason, to bear caring for suppression of theatrical entertainments," (which those congressional men called even as the first thing that must be suppressed by the state governments in that emergency time), "horse racing, gambling and similar amusements which serve only to idleness, profligacy and corruption of morals in general exuberance." (So these brave men in Congress have decided, with the beautiful grounds, "because true religion (page 99) and good manners, the very foundations of public liberty and prosperity.") The second decision is this:
"Because also the visit of play houses and theaters can work only ruinous then, the people are to derive from the necessary attention to the appropriate means, that so urgently requires the defense of the country and the preservation of it's freedom:
"Resolved, to all such persons in the service of the United States who appears in such plays or that promotes, or cheers up to it, or they visit, should be held for unworthy to hold such official's office, and, hence, should be dismissed from the service of the United States." (So they took the matter seriously! Whoever only went to the theater, let alone who was active in the theater by themselves, could hold no office of the United States, and if he had, he was appalled that office. Note well: They were not so-called narrow-minded Missourians!)
[ToC]
The latest testimony on theater was taken in previous years. This man was himself an actor only for a time, but when he came to the knowledge of Christ, spoke always properlyon the theater, J. Claassen in Münster, Westphalia. He writes in a pamphlet published last year under the title "Art and Drama, or, What Does the Theater Hold?" among other things: "The theater has contributed greatly to the decline of public morality, (page 100) which has its basis in faith in God." (Consider well that writes a man who was himself an actor, and, as we can judge from his pamphlet, a highly talented, well-educated man, but he came to know Christ, and since it was made with the Theaterlust by now from my own experience testified: "the decline of public morality as its basis, the faith of God, the theater had contributed greatly," and continues:) "And it does so still, daily, with or without intent. Not merely the lower stages, where immorality and frivolity is most at home, but even the higher and highest, even to keep the morals and decency and must keep outside." (That is of course still many that he could not go into so-called People's Theatre, occur where too often the vilest of antics and filthy speeches fall, because that can indeed see everyone and even if he were the blindest heathen. Well said therefore, even not rare by the most obvious of the world's children: it's a shame to go to such dives, where celebrate the grossest carnality their orgies. But, say same even Christians, Yes, there are also decent theater, which every decent person, Yes, also a Christian visit and where they can learn only good. But it is not so. No, because you cannot learn anything, fallen from God and be a child of the world, if one is not already.) Claassen (page 101) adds: "He also dares the court theater of the first rank" (this to write in Prussia where there is one of the most splendid court theaters which even the elderly emperor often visited), "do not have indeed need to honour the vulgar taste... the sacrilegious and amorous-vice-like on their world-important boards." (At the so-called quite decent theaters comes therefore though not in so common manner as it the mob wants to plan, but just therefore in of more enticing manner; since the more commonly and more raw the sin appears, the rather also become, as already said, Christians and even world respectable children repelled from them; however the more it is covered, by a transparent veil, the greater is the charm which it exercises, and the danger to be arrested by her.) Then our former actor continues: "Even in the church-sanctified times" (namely in the Advent, Christmas, Passion, Easter and Pentecost times. To talk here in America of holy times in which the frivolous theatrical play is twice indecorous, this is valid for a ridiculous superstition. Even on the day of death of the Redeemer one not afraid here to perform the miserable farces and laughing pieces. However, Claassen reminds rightly of it, how much it militates to true Christianity, when Christians even in the times of the year in which particularly the great deeds of God are celebrated and where they should prepare for the celebration of it, they are looking for their (page 102) amusement in the evenings at the theater.). It is further stated: "But it is not surprising that: The spirit of the times, not just the spirit of this particular" (drama) "Art, properly pseudo-art" (which deserves not to be reckoned among the arts), "brings with it, and the most serious counter-efforts of the better ones that are concerned in the stage, can not allow this change. This is why it remains true: it is no blessing with this art and with those which make from it a trade or are in love, otherwise, into it." (Nothing is more usual, as that in particular the so-called "educated people" try to varnish their passion for the theater with the fact that that what they get in the theater is not the satisfaction of the sensory desire, but the love of art. However what is the really attractive art of the drama writer and actor? Especially the fact that the ugliest things are displayed beautifully. Have therefore since joined the great art lover has always been the fact that finally, in a famous opera of a whore driver from the viewers to hell moves, while the same individuals from a great love of art do not push to prevent that are placed in some large cities the most shameless statues on public roads). Claassen continues: "It" (namely the so-called art) "is the blessing of escape, that is, the curse... God judges. Has he not shown that one can take it with the hands at our last time? Afterwards, at the end of 1881, the Vienna Ring Theater burned with 500 or more people, (page 103) and there was in the past year (1882), in spite of all increased precautions, about 30 other theaters that burned down; in this century, however, already more than 500, namely greater than 4000 people took an end with fright." (There passes almost no week in which to us the newspapers do not report that a theater is burnt down again, and that thus and so many people have died and, however, have come to an end with fright. Or who would like to die at the theater and there his poor soul suddenly is given over into the hands of the everlasting judge?) He continues: "Besides, indeed very natural causes always formed the basis at the same time. But already that these exist and remain, should give pause to think. Even more that these natural causes do not exclude, but include the supernatural causes of divine justice and divine court. The eye of only human reason does not see God's finger because it does not want to see him and can also not see therefore; the eye of the Christian, however, sees and believes him, and is afraid of the court, and more still before that what causes such court." (Art and Play or What is to be Held by the Play? Gütersloh in 1883 p. 47 f.) (He is afraid, he wants to say, more before the sin, than before the punishment which follows the sin!)
[ToC]
As we have heard of this modern writer, as he points out that this theater fires were an uplifted finger of God, a reminder that God did no favors to this (page 104) institution, I will now impart to an older story hereto, that in the already drawn from Scripture Ahasuerus Fritsch finds himself. He writes about follower: In 1689 on the 19th of April a big opera - a play, completely linked with song and instrumental music - with really royal splendour to the celebration of the birthday of the lascivious king Christian the Tifth of Denmark at which almost only the distinguished and empires of the town attended was performed in Copenhagen in a magnificent wooden palace specially built. One had put up therefore the price of an admittance ticket intentionally, so that poor people would be kept away; one just wanted to have with the exceedingly shining play also a shining and magnificent spectatorship. God's intention, besides, however, when he admitted this, was, admittedly, quite an other: the empires and distinguished should see it once what they for an advantage before the arms and low have before God. Therefore what happens? The play had hardly begun, there under others an actor appears who, as a god of war dressed up, breaks out in the words: "Flash, fire, smoke and steam." As soon as, however, these words have died away, there suddenly sounds through the whole theatrical space the call: "Fire! Fire!" And see! In a few minutes the whole wooden building is aflame. Music and song is quiet, and now misery shouting and howling occurs at this place; a dreadful scramble to the (page 105) exit originates and many parts of the human tangle are crushed, part were killed by stomping, while almost 300 people were burned alive. *) The following is particularly strange here: in the injured from the fire and run them with severe burns spectators was also vain daughter of famous godly theologian Dr. Johannes Lassenius who was so seriously agitated against all world vanity, who was then Professor of Theology and pastor at St. Petri Church at Copenhagen. In any case, the prayer has been the same result, but the girl was seriously injured by fire, but still saved as a brand from the fire and she as yet had been given time for conversion, which seems to be really the case. But we do not have certainty about this. It is only certain that the worldly vain daughter of old, good Lasenius later married a godly preacher, from which I conclude that she was converted, otherwise she would have probably not married a godly preacher. O all children should take notice to themselves who visit the theater against the will and behind the back of their parents!
Following is most strange. The poet, which applies to the greatest of all German poets **) was not satisfied that those poets,
---------------
*) While this section was presented, the local "Grand Opera House" was up in flames.
**) Goethe.
[ToC]
(Page 106) which was his closest, *) made the theater an institution for the transport of morality. The former explained rather frank and free: "The dispute" (if a Christian should visit the theater) "forced, unfortunately! the friends stage" (or theater), "This actually only dedicated to the higher sensuality institution for a moral to type out; they claimed the theatre could teach and improve, and so the State and society directly benefit." (His intimate conviction was so that the plays the morality can neither promote, nor want to! And he was right without a doubt. He knew only too well that also the most theaters of only the higher sensuousness, that is, to serve the finer flesh.)
But even more! As another highly famous German theatrical writer **) first a scientific, ungodly book against the Christianity published, †) and then a play which pursued the same purpose had sealed, ††) he explained in a letter directed to his brother (which appeared only after his death in publication): with this play, he wanted to "to theologians play an annoying antics as with ten
--------------
*) Schiller.
**) Lessing.
†) The so-called Wolfenbüttel fragments.
† †) Nathan the Wise.
(Page 107) 'Fragments' "*) (this was in fact the title of that scientific work which he wrote against Christianity). He did fight Christianity even more successfully with his play than with that scholarly work. And it's true, by that play, in which he sought to show that the Jewish and Turkish religions are better than Christianity, he has hurt Christianity among the German people more than by that learned work denying Christianity. The poison of a performance sweeter enters just the flesh than a scholarly writing which imposes sharp thinking. Thus we have hereby the concession of our most famous playwright, that the purpose of the play is not the carriage of morality, nor that of religion, but the healing device sometimes is satisfying the lusts of the flesh (in the best case of fine flesh) or the fight against religion, in particular the Christian religion. --
So I told you then, my beloved, now testimonies of honorable and pious Christians, pagans of all ages, both by theologians as well as non-theologians presented, who all condemned the theater. Yes, we have also seen that the playwrights themselves admit it, that the purpose of the play is not morality, but rather the satisfaction of the
--------------
*) See Lessing's works, edited by Lachmann, XII, 510
(Page 108) flesh and mockery of religion and church. Let us now think about how we have to judge according to God's word over which we, nevertheless, I mean, all good Christians want to be. Think probably, my beloved: now I inform you not the average or at all of one person's view, but by the word of the great God after whom you will been directed on that day. O today therefore hear God, so that to you hear God once again! Although the entire Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are a great testimony against all affairs of the children of God to the desire of the world's children and therefore also the theater drive, which is quite a pleasure of the world's children; but let me tell you ten reasons called from God's word that a Christian should particularly shy away from the theater.
First, the word of God says: "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans 14:23 According to God's word, therefore, the good God-pleasing works that emerged only from faith; and all those which have not emerged from this faith are evil, God displeasing works, and especially the most established of the world's brilliant works of unbelievers, as the Church Father Augustine completely (page 109) rightly says, are only splendid sins. But in the play a wrong virtue and a wrong vice is introduced, the good works and the bad works are judged wrong. Those glossy, namely the light of reason shining works of unbelievers are highly celebrated in the play, as the noblest deeds, if they are not even as a fruit of pride, arrogance and selfishness. In contrast, the works of the godly Christians are depicted as either a fruit of ignorance, or as a fruit of fanaticism, or as a fruit of hypocrisy. The greatest vices are portrayed as virtues, or they are still glossed over as a very venial things and apologized. Whoever goes to the theater, therefore goes to the school of unbelief.
[ToC]
Second, God's Word says: "Flee fornication." 1 Corinthians 6:18 But in the plays is adultery, fornication and adultery as something displayed that could be easily overlooked, perhaps even as something quite natural, yes, as a most amiable gallantry. Is still in the play usually last all comes down to serve the lust of the flesh. If you go to the theater, you go sit at the school of lust.
Third, God's Word says: "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, .." 1 Peter 5:8-9. So according to God's word is taken from the Christian nothing, (page 110) but his soul to be alert and sober. But just in all plays it is seen for the Christians to take all watchfulness and sobriety. They are one and all to create, to intoxicate him, to make drunk mentally, yes, to charm. This already is the brightly colored decorations of the theater, the brilliant illumination, partly pompous, partly lewd costumes of the actors and actresses of all nerve exciting singing, all voices of conscience deafening music, the constant change any other thought gobbling interesting performances, everything goes out to the audience to interact in such a way that they, so to speak, are not themselves. The images, which are presented to his eyes are of such a nature that a man gets an indelible impression of it. He walks out of the theater, but the images he provided led him to follow and still beguile his soul. He sees her sleeping and waking. Who goes to the theater almost daily lives in a constant dream world. He can no longer see the reality and is unfit for his earthly career and for this earthly life. How sensory-intoxicating, yes, charming the visit of the play is found a curious example in Augustine's Confessions (VI Cap. 7, 8 p. 140 ff). A certain Alypius, Augustine's later intimate friend, was before his conversion, a passionate lover of the plays. Now as once again Alypius visited Augustine's public speeches, (page 111) St. Augustine was just describing the hideousness of the theater is so vividly that Alypius immediately decided never to visit the theater again. However, what happens? Once his old study comrades meet him and ask him to go with them even to the Circus. Alypius beats off this around; but these drag themselves along him by force. However, he speaks: "If you also pull my body at that place and put me there, can you direct therefore my soul and my eyes upon those plays? No! hence, I will be absent there, and overcome thus to you, when that." To cofestival-closed eyes he sits there. However, suddenly a big shouting originates among him to shudder. There the curiosity torments then the Alypius wants to see what is the cause of it. He opens his eyes and sees one of two fighters defeated and bleeding on the ground lies, and lo! the old air for the play awakens again with irresistible force, so that he was now back on for some time, as formerly, a slave of the theater until he finally converted sincerely to God and from then on always fled the theater as a murderer's pit for the souls. -- Do not speak: to visit the theater only and when once or even only just once only to get to know the thing, nevertheless, this will be probably not so dangerous and not so great a sin. Oh no! Whoever goes to the theater, he steps in a magic circle, because it can cost him easily at last his Christianity and thus his salvation.
We go on! The word of God says fourthly: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2: 15-16. But the theaters are really the temple of the world, what it does in it's three-headed idol, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the haughty nature, body and soul to worship and making offerings. Those who go to the theater go to the church of the world.
Even more, fifthly, God's Word says: "filthy language and foolish things or joking" (let not be said of you), "which are not convenient, but rather thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:4) But in the plays, especially in the comedies, playing just filthy language, Narrentheidinge, filthy, or at lewd jokes a large, yes, the main role, because the world does not want to weep over sins, but laugh. But you Christian do not say: I'll take good care not to laugh then. Firstly you do not know whether you will laugh with but not if everyone laughs. Like Peter, when he had gone transgression in the house of the Christ-blaspheming world, finally out of fear of the world blasphemed with them. For others, however, O Christ, are you not ashamed to go where all kinds of (page 113) shameful words penetrate into your ear and dirty your soul? O, goes out hurriedly, and cries with Peter bitterly. Who goes to the theatre, that goes to the school of the disgrace.
God's word says sixthly: "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17. For praying at the theater but cannot be mentioned. Well it is also occasionally prayed with their own lips adulterers pray because very often a miserable prostitute and paramour. Yes, it even happens, that is imitated on the stage, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. The latter has been found especially among the youth of Germany's most popular poets *) moved to make his piece quite interesting. In addition, but they abused the name of God in the theater vows recklessly, swearing at all saints. And you want this Christian curser still pay for their swearing!? Whoever goes to the theater goes to the school of mockers of religion.
God's word says in the seventh place: "Be not conformed to this world to you." Romans 12:2. But the theater is really a pleasure world. Because the New Testament Church has not the play from the Church of the Old Testament - which knew nothing about it - it is rather from heathenism. Those who go to the theater, which is at the school of the
---------------
*) Schiller.
[ToC]
(page 114) world, he makes his master, becomes thus an obvious defector to the world, yes, he finishes speaking with it without wanting maybe it, yes, against such an ascription protesting, by the action publicly: I do not want to be a world-denying child of God, but a child of the world.
Eighth, God's word says: "Sitteth not in the seat of the scornful." Psalm 1:1. But how can deny who goes to the theater, that he put in the middle of the scornful? Where they should sit, if they do not sit there? There is therefore no question: who goes to the theater, which is not only beside, but even to the feet of the scoffers.
Ninth, God's word says: "Do not also partake of other men's sins." 1 Timothy 5:22. However, it is impossible to go to the theater, without taking to make partakers of other men's sins, the sins both of the actors, as well the audience. For what are you doing? By your appearance at the theater you ask on the actor, that he sin, yes, that he was doing, to have the sake of which he excluded the true Christian church ever and of itself! the other ungodly spectators but which come to feed their flesh, you encourage them and you want to say: I can go to the theater without sin? Oh, God help you from this dangerous delusion your own sin pulls you into it, and come out again loaded with many other men's sins.
(Page 115)
Finally, tenth we read in God's Word: "Teach us to remember that we must die, that we might be wise." Psalm 90:2 According to God's word, therefore, a godly man should continually think about death. But the actor is above all aimed to make people forget, at least for a few hours that they die once and must appear before God's court. Who goes to the theater so that goes to the school of atheists, whose main principle is: Let us eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we may be dead, and with death, is all over. --
Well then, I ask you then, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, what do you want? Do you want it to Christ, or keep up with the world? Will you be their church attendance or theater-goers? Perhaps you say, we want to be both. Well, I call you the word of the prophet Elijah to 1 Kings. 18:21: "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." Yes, the word I call to you, which the Lord himself says in the Gospel to all of us. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24), not Christ and the world. That's why I call you as with that pious poet:
What halt ye between, betrogne souls
Even after all on both sides?
If you's too hard to choose that
What do you call anbeut of heaven?
O ye see it with open eyes,
Pass on the so-narrow path!
There is here no life halved,
God crowns not a divided heart;
Jesus: Who does not arise right
Makes himself only toil and pain
And takest the earned wages
Here pain - and there the hell it.
Save all the faithful from us to God for Jesus Christ's sake, and grant us entry to that heavenly drama, where we will, having our eyes in death broken, see God face to face in everlasting joy and blessed light.
Though there is, my beloved, still even some others that belong to the world who threatens to penetrate with power into our congregation and who needs, hence, the lighting from God's Word and loyal admonition and warning. I only remind of the visit of drinking houses, the visit of worldly concerts in which texts conflicting to the Word of God are sung; to the visiting of circuses which herd into God tempting arts and all kinds of hoaxes; to the connection to worldly anti-Christian clubs such as the gymnastic clubs that make actually more Christ-hostilely; to the baseball societies, which have chosen for their pleasure especially the day of the Lord; (page 117) the various entertainment clubs in just which the base elements the words lead, and the like, to the reading of novels, novellas and wretched plays, which, even according to the testimony of many secular newspapers, ruin our youth and sometimes even make them criminals. And who may call everything with which Satan tries seeks in particular in this great town in the Christian communities, particularly in the noble youth of our city to suck out their life in God? Nevertheless, for this time it is enough to have led you, the danger only of both of these pieces, the worldly dance and the visit to the theater, from God's word before your soul. Maybe God gives opportunity to put to you also the other pieces of the world being in the light of the word of God. May God put his blessing on the first of these offered, to edification! However, do not believe, my beloved that this is the fruit which I have searched with the fact that among us only nobody more worldly dances any more and nobody visits the theater. If this was the whole fruit, I would have made you with my address only Pharisees and servants of the law. Oh, that would but God forbid! No! the fruit which I request from God is that you recognize vanity to the world vividly, you turns away from her, throw yourselves into the arms of Jesus and then to him alone live and die. Yes, that, that bring us God, to wake up our sleepy congregation and come to life again and (page 118) again learn that God's visitation of grace from which it has once arisen and has been received to this hour with God's pure word. This help, O faithful God, for Jesus sake. Amen.
Hymn.
In its own melody.
Valet will I give thee,
You wicked, false world;
Your sinful wicked life
I certainly do not like;
In heaven is good life,
Beyond is my desire,
There God will reward forever
To him that serves all here.
Blessing and Our Father.
-------------
[ToC]