A tidbit from Walther

I just ran across this little gem from C.F.W. Walther’s lectures on Law and Gospel, Thesis IX, vis-a-vis Holy Absolution, emphasis mine.

“The Protestant churches, so called, which are outside of the pale of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, know nothing of the true way to forgiveness of sin by means of the Word and, in general, through the means of grace. This is evident, in particular, from their rejection of absolution as pronounced by the minister from the pulpit, or in general and private confession.  These so-called Protestant churches assert that of all Protestant church the Lutheran has really been reformed least; for, they say, it still retains much of the leaven of the Romish Church.  For proof they cite the gown [sic!] worn by our ministers when officiating, the wafers used by us instead of ordinary bread at Communion, the crucifix and the lights on our altars, the liturgical chanting of our ministers at the altar, signing persons with the holy cross, and bowing the head at the mention of the name of Jesus.”

This might encourage us to do more of these things so as not to be confused with the “Protestant churches, so-called, which are outside the pale of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church”!