The Future of Old Lutheranism (from S.S.S.'s perspective)

The following excerpt was written by the Rev. Dr. S. S. Schmucker, the foremost proponent of "American Lutheranism" in the mid-19th century. In it, he predicted the imminent demise of the "Old Lutherans," that is, those who maintained the historical Lutheran (and Christian) doctrines/practices of the Real Presence, private confession and absolution, etc:

"If our old Lutheran brethren are willing to regard their peculiarities [such as baptismal regeneration, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the ability of ordained ministers to pronounce Absolution] as non-essential, and live in peace with us, they are welcome to take part with us in our ministry and ecclesiastical organizations; but if they cannot refrain from either regarding or denouncing us [the so-called American Lutherans] as dishonest, and pseudo Lutherans, and perjured, because we do not believe every thing contained in confessions which we never adopted, and because we will not adopt books as symbolical, which contain numerous error and Romish superstitions; for ourselves, whilst we wish them well as individuals, we desire no ecclesiastical communion with them, either in our Synods, or General Synod; and believe it will be for the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ, that they should be associated with those who share their intolerance and bigotry. In less than twenty years they will themselves see their error, and change their position, and their children will be worthy members of our American Lutheran Church."

Quoted from Samuel Simon Schmucker, The American Lutheran Church: Historically, Doctrinally, and Practically Delineated, in Several Occasional Discourses (Springfield: D. Harbaugh, 1851), pp. 245-246

In reality, of course, the picture was far different. Already at the time this book was published, confessional Lutheranism began to experience a revival within the "American Lutheran" General Synod (Schmucker's church body). In 1866, fifteen years after the publication of this book, a number of Lutheran synods left the General Synod to form the more confessional General Council. Furthermore, in 1870, a group of very strongly confessional Lutheran synods joined together in the Synodical Conference, which claimed more Lutheran members than either the General Synod or the General Council. By the early 20th century, Schmucker's dream of an American Lutheran Church which would be free from "Romish superstitions" was all but dead. The Old Lutherans had triumphed.