This issue of Studium begins a series of translations, all of which will be published within the coming year. They are taken from Goldkoerner, a collection of ten of C.F.W. Walther’s sermons. These translations will not be published in the order in which Willkomm, who was responsible for putting the collection together, arranged them. Rather, they will be published at the time of the church year to which they best correspond.
Sermons by C.F.W. Walther, Professor at the Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Seminary at St. Louis
Zwickau 1882
Printed and published by Johannes Herrmann
In commission with Heinrich J. Naumann in Dresden
Foreword
It was not the author who named the following sermons “Gold Nuggets,” but rather I, the undersigned, to whom they were so kindly left for publication at my special request. And I am certain the reader will find the title justified, for these sermons are drawn from the mine of the divine Word, of which the holy David says “[The ordinances of the LORD] are more precious than gold, than much pure gold” (Psalm 19:10) and “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of and silver and gold” (Psalm 119:72). Therefore these “Gold Nuggets” can also help to open up the Word of God in its majesty for many people and motivate them to dig deeper and deeper in this mine. Therefore these sermons can also contribute to making the Word of God in its purity more and more precious and valuable to many people, so that these people with a joyful spirit give up everything which may otherwise possess worth in order to win and keep it.
Perhaps this little book will prepare the way for the larger sermon books of the same author (American Lutheran Gospel Sermons, Lutheran Crumbs, and Epistle Sermons) in many a house. That also would be a commendable success in addition to that first most important success.
May God accompany this little book on its travels and make it a blessing to many!
*Niederplanitz, September 1882.**
O. Willkomm, Pastor of the separated Evangelical Lutheran St. John’s Church.