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THE

CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER,

AS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE

GENERAL SYNOD

OF THE

LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA.

With a Historic Outline from the Apostolic Age.

TO WHICH IS APPENDED

A PLAN FOR RESTORING APOSTOLIC UNION BETWEEN ALL
ORTHODOX DENOMINATIONS.

BY

S. S. SCHMUCKER, D.D.

EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,

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"There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all."-EP. iv. 5.
"Multum refert ad retinendum ecclesiarum pacem, inter ea quæ jure divino præ-
cepta sunt, et quæ non sunt, accuraté distinguere." — GROTIUS, de Imperio summarum
Potestatum circa sacra; cap. II.

BALTIMORE:

T. NEWTON KURTZ.

PHILADELPHIA: E. W. MILLER,

GETTYSBURG: A. D. BUEHLER

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by

S. S. SCHMUCKER,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

J. FAGAN & SON,

STEREOTYPERS, PHILAD'A.

PRINTED BY SHERMAN & CO.

686 futh 53562h 1867

PREFACE.

HE origin of this small volume was somewhat peculiar. It has several times happened, that the appointed speakers

of the Historical Society of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States, whose meetings coincide with those of the General Synod, have failed to meet their appointments. This was naturally unpleasant to the Society, as well as mortifying to the writer as its present president. To prevent a similar disappointment, he resolved, several months before the late meeting of the General Synod at Fort Wayne, to prepare a Lecture to be delivered as a volunteer exercise, in case the appointee should again fail. As to a suitable subject for such exercise, the frequent late attacks on the General Synod did not permit him to hesitate. An ardent friend of this General Union of the Synods from its incipiency, he was

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willing to step forward in its defence, and having been present as a visitor at Baltimore in 1819, when the formation of such a body was first the subject of synodical discussion, and at Hagerstown in 1820, when the constitution was discussed and adopted; present as a member of the body in 1823, and either as a member or visitor at every meeting held since, the writer may, without vanity or presumption, profess to be acquainted with its design, history and spirit, and may ask a hearing in its behalf. Fortunately, the appointed reader, the Rev. Dr. Harkey, faithfully performed his duty, and our lecture was not offered.

Returning from Fort Wayne, the document. was read on the way, in a circle of our most able and influential brethren, who strongly urged its publication, (with an historical part prefixed, and a few other additions,) as well calculated for circulation among both the laity and ministers of our church, and not without interest to the general reader. With this wish we have endeavored to comply, and now present the work to the public, and commend it to the blessing of that divine Redeemer, whose cause it is designed to vindicate.

GETTYSBURG, Dec. 25, 1866.

S. S. SCHMUCKER.

THE

CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER.

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