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The Ordination of Justus Falckner,
1703,
in Wicaco, Philadelphia
Detail from the certificate, courtesy of the Lutheran Theological
Seminary at Gettysburg Archives:
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Enameled window of First Lutheran Church, Albany,
New York; courtesy of the
Lutheran Archives in Philadelphia. |
Latin inscription
Sacri Ministerii stator et conservator DEUS IPSE, primus in Paradiso
concionandi munere fungebatur, primosque parentes a personato deceptos
diabolo, ad spem salutis promisso mulieris semine, erigebat, quod
serpentis caput contritarum esset. Nec dubium est, quin Adamus Liberos
suos instituerit, quomodo fiduciam
in promisso semine reponere
deberent. Ante et post diluvium, instauratae
Ecclesiae
lumina justitiaeque
praecones
extitere. Noah, Abraham,
aliique
verbi Divini ministri et post latam
legem, jam inde a Mose, ad correctionis tempus, fuere Sacerdotes et
Levitae, qui populo Dei, doctrina et vita praelucerent, Quoniam vero
negligentius hoc suum officium saepe numero
executi sunt sacerdotes
Levitici, placuit
Deo, non tantum Morum mores vitamque
corruptam per prophetas
arguere, sed etiam, quo propius Ecclesiae tempora a partu virginis et
nativitate promissi seminis abessent eo clarius, vaticiniorum successu
proponere reparandi generis humani mysterium. In novo foedere
ordinatione enim sua distinxit Deus doctores ab Auditoribus,
insigniterque hunc ordinem adversus diaboli et mundi malitiam tatatus
est. Johannes Baptista, iussu Dei, concionatoris munus auspicatus est;
cui Christus ipse successit, qui aqua baptismatis tinctus ad id munus
publice inauguratus est. Christum autem, cum oporteret passione et
morte generis humani redimere salutem atque in coelos ascendere, simul
ac docendi munus suum in terris susceperat 12 Apostolos vocavit,
eosque sua sacra edocuit, quibus quoque mandavit, ut exirent docturi
omnes gentes. His suppares 70 discipulos misit ut praedicarent
Civitatibus Judaicis. Christi in coelum assumti partes explevit
promissus Paracletus Spiritus Sanctus; Hinc Paulus in oratione ad
Praesbyteros Ephesinos ait eos gregis Dominici inspectores a Spiritu
Sancto positos. Exquo docemur neminem sibi ipse, sine divina vocatione
honorem (:sacerdoti:) sumere debere, nam ministrii Ecclesiae sunt Dei
legati: Ast nemo sibi sumit partes [ecclesiae crossed out] Legati
absque Legantis Auctoritate; sunt Oeconomi mysteriorum Dei, ab hero
itaque domus constituendi dispensatores bonorum Domine. Culpandi
proinde sunt, qui nec missionem, nec Ecclesiae et quorum interest,
adprobationem expectantes ex propria ansa et privato arbitrio,
Ecclesiasticum munus capessunt, aut id, per vim occupant, aut pretio
emunt, aut cogatationis vel affinitatis sive conciliatae, sive adhuc
conciliandae beneficis, seu fraudibus, vel emendicatis suffragiis, vel
quibuscunique aliis pravis artibus sese
ingerunt ipsi, aut ingeri patiuntur per
alios. De successu talium, per fas et refas, ordinis sacro se
ingerentium, notum est, quod passim sermonibus celebratur: Qualis
vocatio, talis successus. Qui vero legitime ad sacrum hoc munus vocati
sunt tranquilla frui conscientia et vocationis suae, non sine
singulari consolatione, recordari, eaque tanquam types, se contra
omnia adversitatum tela, tueri possunt. In horum numero censendus est
Severimius et Preaestantissimus JUSTUS FALCKNER germanus qui per
preces et manuum impositionem rite sacris ordinibus initiatus die 24
Novemb[ris] huius Anni ad Ecclesiae ministerium designatus est. Deum
T[uum]
Opt[imum] Max[imum] rogamus velit successum officio addere, et dona a
se novo ministro data, indies magis magisque augere, in nominis sui
gloriam ecclesiae salutem, necnon proprium emolumeniam.
Wicaco die 25
Novemb
Andreas Rudman
Anno 1703. ante hac Past. Eccl.
Luth. Neolboracensis in America
Ericus Biörck
Past. Eccl.
Luth: ad Christiam in Pennsil:
Andreas Sandel
Past: Eccl: luth: ad Wicaco in Pensylv:
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Translation by Margaret Ruths, with Maria Erling and Timothy Wengert
Translation of the Ordination Certificate of Justus Falckner
od Himself, the Establisher and Preserver of holy ministry, first
performed the gift
of proclaiming in Paradise and raised the first parents, deceived by a
disguised devil, for the hope of salvation by the promised seed of the
woman, the head of which serpent had been destroyed. Nor is there any
doubt that Adam had instructed his children as to how they ought to
preserve their faith in the Promised Land. Before and after the
flood, there existed lamps of the established church and heralds of
justice, Noah, Abraham, and other ministers of the Divine Word. And
after the strict law thenceforward promulgated by Moses for a time of
amendment, there were priests and Levites who might enlighten the
people of God by doctrine and by exemplary life. Since in truth
numbers of Levitical priests often executed this their duty rather
negligently, it pleased God not only to censure their morals and
degenerate life through the prophets, but also, because of the success
of the prophecies, when the time for the church was nearer for the
virgin birth and the nativity of the promised seed, to put forth more
clearly a divine mystery for the restoring of the human race.
In the New Covenant, by His own
ordination God distinguished between the teachers and those who heard,
and guarded his order against the rank of the devil and the malice of
the world. John the Baptist, by the order of God, assumed the duty of
the proclaimer, whom Christ Himself succeeded, who imbued with the
water of baptism, was publicly consecrated into this service. Since
it was necessary for Christ by His passion and death to redeem the
world and to ascend high into the heavens, as soon as he had assumed
the office of teaching on the earth, he called twelve apostles, taught
them His precepts, and mandated to them that they should go forth to
teach all nations. To these as equal to them, he sent seventy
disciples that they might proclaim the Word to the Jewish states.
The promised Paraclete, the Spirit, has
filled the role of Christ assumed into heaven. Paul in his speech to
the elders at
Ephesus says that these inspectors of the flock have been placed there
by the Holy Spirit. From which we are taught that no one of his own
accord ought to assume the Honor of a priest without a divine call,
for the ministers of the church are ambassadors of God, but no one
assumes for himself the role of ambassador without the authority of
those overseeing. They are stewards of the mysteries of God; thus
they are as master of the home, managers of deploying the gifts of the
Lord. Accordingly, they are to be censured who, neither waiting for a
mission nor the approval of the church and of those to whom it
matters, assume the office of the church by private decision, or take
it by force, or buy it for a price, or by marriage alliance of
deliberation either effected or about to be effected for a favor, or
who by fraud or by revision of votes or by other improper means, or
who allow themselves to be brought into office by others. The success
of such who by right or wrong force themselves into the sacred order
has been noted and here and there proclaimed in sermons. As is the
call, so is the success.
They who truly and legitimately have been
called to this sacred office are able to enjoy a tranquil conscience
and to remember their call not without singular consolation. And by it
as a shield they are able to protect themselves against all weapons of
adversaries. In their number has been assessed the most esteemed and
the most excellent JUSTUS FALCKNER, a German, who through prayers and
the imposition of hands has been initiated by rite into holy orders.
He has been designated on the 24th day of November of this
year for the ministry of the church, asking God that he might add
success to the office and each day to increase the gifts given by Him
to the new minister to the glory of His name, the wellbeing of the
church, and not for his personal gain.
At Wicaco, on the 25th day of November in the year 1703.
Andreas Rudman
formerly Pastor of the Lutheran Church of New York in
America
Ericus Biörk
Pastor of the
Lutheran Church
at Christiana in
Pennsylvania
Andreas Sandel
Pastor of the
Lutheran Church
at Wicaco in
Pennsylvania
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