If our Church, which is now [1858] lying in the dust, shall rise again and not gradually degenerate into a body that is Lutheran in name only, without any characteristics of the Church of the Reformation, then all the fine words about ecclesiastical propriety, about the reintroduction of ancient rites and ceremonies, all attempts to invest the Office of the Ministry with special glory and authority, all this with be utterly in vain. The only help for resurrecting our church lies in a renewed acceptance of its old orthodox confessions and in a renewed unconditional subscription to its Symbols.
To which adds the Editorial Committee of 1947:
That our Synod in its centennial year still holds high the banner of "God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure" is due to Walther's indefatigable efforts in the classroom, at pastoral conferences and synodical conventions, and through the printed word to exalt the priceless treasure contained in our symbolical Books. One way in which we, the heirs of God's grace, can show our gratitude is a renewed study of the Book of Concord.
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