Crosses, Images, and Candles in Lutheran Churches

The following article was taken from the Lutheran Standard, an Ohio Synod newspaper begun in 1842. The first two paragraphs, in turn, were copied from the Lutheran Observer, a newspaper of the General Synod. It was written by a Lutheran who travelled through Detroit sometime during July of 1848.

"'The [St. Matthew's] Lutheran Church [in Detroit] is not as large as some others, yet it is distracted. The present preacher [the Rev. Johann Friedrich Winkler, of the "Old Lutheran" Buffalo Synod] went there and preached for the Lutherans, and they hired him. They prospered well. A good looking building was erected; but as soon as the edifice was completed, with the constitution and articles made according to his desire, and all things arranged for his purpose, he introduced in the church the use of the—cross, burning candles, and images. The members were not ready for such a debasing step. They were not prepared to return to the bosom of that church from which their immoral leader had long since taken them. They were unwilling to yield to his Catholic measures. To terrify them, he threatened them. Then assuming a dogmatic attitude, he tries to compel them. They revolted, and now they are in a most unfortunate situation. They would be Lutherans, but they cannot comply with such unholy requisitions. The German Methodists have established a missionary station there.—Those pious ones see the peace and harmony that reign among them, and many of them will undoubtedly ere long go to the embrace of another church, unless something is done for them.

The altar at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, Detroit, MI.
One can only imagine the horror the author of this article would have expressed at this arrangement.

"'This, unfortunately for them, is also the condition of the Lutheran churches at Ann Arbor and Monroe. All have their crosses, candles, and images; and the good people of those places consider them as no better than the poor devotees of the Beast. If now at this critical situation of our church at Detroit, &c., some one with a devoted and lovely missionary spirit would go there, and contend like his Master for right over wrong, truth over error, I have no doubt but he, in time, and perhaps in a short time, would be able to win the hearts of these Lutherans, establish and build up a good evangelical society which God would bless, and which would be an ornament to our church in the "City of the Straits."' [This being a pretty way of making sheep-stealing between Lutherans look good.]

"We hope the account given in the above extract, will prove to be unfounded, and gladly will we publish the correction. If true, however, it is another humiliating evidence of the weakness of man, and his proneness to fly off to extremes. If, on the one hand, we have no sympathy with those who profess to 'get religion,' by kneeling at a 'mourner's bench,' on the other hand we are equally disgusted with the Popish superstition exhibited by bowing to crosses and images, and burning candles on the altar in the day time. The Lutheran Church in this country has always been noted for the majestic simplicity of her worship, and we hope it will never be laid aside, either for modern 'new measures' on the one hand, or for mummeries that date back to the dark ages on the other."
Quoted from The Lutheran Standard, vol. 6, no. 15 (September 13, 1848), p. 2, col. 5.