it is truly astonishing that farmers should not also, as
well as ministers, be capable of judging the Christian doctrine.
Whenever it shall be proved that farmers are not to read the Holy
Scriptures, then only ought they to be excluded from this important
business. It is well known that in the dark ages of Popery the layman
was not permitted to judge in religious controversies, and it seems very
alarming that Mr. Sherer has expressed a similar sentiment, inasmuch as
he considers himself much offended because the Synod appointed laymen
or, as he says, farmers to constitute the committee. That the priests'
lips are to preserve the doctrine does not prove that it is inexpedient
or wrong to appoint laymen to assist on deciding a dispute. It was
believed laymen would act more impartially, since the ministers are more
immediately concerned in this controversy. Neither can I discover that
all farmers are so contemptible a class of people (so niedertraechtige
Leute) that Mr. Sherer could possibly be offended at the appointment! If
in case the committee have published anything, which is contrary to
truth, Mr. Sherer is at liberty to make it appear." (R. 1825, 6.)

ANTI-METHODISTIC ATTITUDE.

112. Fanatics Described.--At the time of the organization of the
Tennessee Synod the Lutheran Church of America generally was suffering
with a threefold malady: Unionism, Reformedism, and Methodism. Methodism
may be defined as a diseased condition of Christianity, causing
Christians to base their assurance of salvation not on the gracious
promises of God in the objective means of grace, the Word and
Sacraments, but on feelings and experiences produced by their own
efforts and according to their own methods. As the years rolled on, the
early Lutheran Church in America became increasingly infected with this
poison of subjectivism and enthusiasm, especially its English portions.
Rev. Larros of Eaton, 0., said in a letter to Paul Henkel, dated August
2, 1821: "I remember when eighteen or twenty years ago many among the
Germans in North Carolina were awakened as to their salvation, and we,
in joyful hope, spared no trouble teaching and instructing, in order to
make of them men for the kingdom of Jesus, preserving the Bible-religion,
that even then one could notice how some were flushed and puffed up with
pride. This was evident especially at the time of the great revival of
the English Church, when, at the large meetings, their novices
["Neuli