The forms established in the aera of the Reformation w-ere more or less broken through, or altered in a very wretched manner, in consequence of the theological rev- olution which marked the 18th century. With the re- ligious life, whose reviving poAver was felt towards the close of the first quarter of the 19th century, came a strong desire for relief from these mischievous changes. To this desire, at least as one of its greatest motives, the Prussian agenda owes its origin; yet, alike in the mode of its introduction and in elements which per- vaded it throughout, it involved a breach with the orig- inal Lutheran type, to which it claimed in large meas- ure to conform. As this fact became more and more manifest, the effort was made to bring the forms of the agenda into harmony with the better elements which still survived in the congregations ; yet, after aU that could be done in this way, the result was imperfect and unsatisfactory. In consequence of this, in the most re- cent period, a still closer approximation has been made in Prussia to the original Lutheran ritual. One set of influential thinkers, as Hotling and Ivliefoth, contended for an unconditional repristination of the worship of the Reformation time. Others held that various changes were necessary to adjust what was furnished by the his- tory in Church worsliip with the well-grounded views of the" present and the actual needs of the congregations.
luthera:n^
578
LUTHERAN
The "agenda" became a source of special trouble in the controversy between the Unionists and the " Old Lutherans." The contest on the agenda raged particu- larly severe in Silesia. Among the most active par- ticipants in this struggle were tlie pastors Scheibel, Ber- ger, Wehrhahn, and Kellner, at llonigern. A pacific roj'al order of Feb. 28, 1834, in regard to the continued force of the confessions, accomplished little. Nor was the conflict allayed by the rescript of the Consistory of Breslau, May 15, 1834, which demanded that the clergy who had not acceded to the Union should use the revised agenda of 1829, and forbade any public attacks upon the Union. In consequence of infraction of these orders the offending clergymen were suspended (1834). In Honigern the military were called in to force open the Church for the introduction of the State-Union service (Dec. 24, 1834). Similar disturbances arose in Halle in connection with Guericke, professor in the miiversity, who was removed by the government in 1836. But this opposition element was not to be seduced by flat- tery nor terrified by force. In a synod held at Breslau in 1835 they had resolved to exhaust aU legal measures to secure for themselves purity, independence, and in- tegrity m doctrine, worship, and constitution. Mission- ary preachers travelled from place to place, administer- ing baptism and the Lord's Supper. In Berlin and Erfurt new congregations were formed. In the Mark and in Silesia a special apostolical Church constitution was adopted. Among the decided Lutherans, however, there were two tendencies. The stricter tendency de- manded a complete separation from the State Church. The relatively more moderate part}', with which Guer- icke stood, desired to carry out their Lutheran convic- tions within the State Church as far as the legal con- cessions allowed them to do so. These troubles matured a purpose in thousands of the oppressed confessors of the faith to leave their native land for conscience sake. In spite of various concessions on the part of the govern- ment, a great emigration to Australia took place under the leadership of Kavel. To these " pilgrim fathers" of our day were added manj' from Saxony, led by Stephan, and from Wurlemberg and the Wupperthal. From 1838, and especially after the advent of Frederick Wil- liam IV to the throne of Prussia (1840), the tone of the government towards the Lutherans became milder.
VI. " Separate Luthermis.''' — A royal general concession was issued July 23, 1845, for the relief of those Luther- ans who held themselves aloof from the State " Evan- gelical" Church. They were granted the right to form congregations of their own, and to have them united under a common direction, which was not to be subject to the control of the State Church. The congregation, having obtained the consent of the state to its forma- tion, could call pastors, whose vocation was to be con- firmed by the Direction, and who were to be ordained by ordained ministers. The baptisms, confirmations, proclamation of the bans, and marriages of these clergy- men were acknowledged in law, and their Church regis- ters were to be received in evidence. Their obligation as regarded the taxes and burdens of the parochial con- nection was to be determined by the common law. Under these provisions the Lutherans constituted a High Consistory in 1841 under the presidency of pro- fessor Huschke. This otticial board is the supreme ec- clesiastical authority for the Lutherans in Prussia. It consists of four regular members ; it is controlled by the Sj'nod, and has charge of the purity of the Church in doctrine and life, of the reception of new congregations, the regulation of the parochial relations, and the ap- pointments of clergymen; to it is committed the deci- sion in complaints made by the officials of the churches and of the higher schools. It has oversight of the rit- ual, of the decisions in ecclesiastical cases, and of cen- sures, the caUing of synods, and similar matters. Tlie clergy are supported by a fixed salary, and by perqui- sites. The processes of Church discipline are monition, temporary exclusion from the communion, the making