The passages quoted relate to the Ch.ap. Bischoff's message (Botschaft) of Christ's return in his lifetime. These excerpts illustrate the level that this message permeated NA NAC doctine/teachings in the late 50's.
I enjoyed this so much, its also going in the History section with the Botschaft letters.
As always, a big
:bow to NACBoard's lead thorn (did we lose the bow
emoticon, or whatever its called I couldn't find)
In roughly chronological order.
from The Herald of the New Apostolic Church, Volume XXXIV, October 1, 1958, No. 19
District Apostle John P. Fendt
BE YE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS
2. Corinthians 6:14-18
"...Not only are these "safety-first facts" constantly being called to our attention but we are also admonished that we must build up our bodily
health if we want to ward off sickness. As that applies to an individual and to a family, who desire to remain united in everything they do, so it applies to a
congregation!! In order to preserve the well-being of the congregation we must take steps to see to it that we are prepared for the enemy when he comes. The
enemy of the body is the disease germ! The enemy to a congregation is far more serious! In the first case, a man may lose his life but in the second case, he
may lose his eternal life and may have to suffer what the Bible terms "the second death" or separation from God forever! It is with this thought in
mind, because it is important for the welfare of the New Apostolic Churches throughout the world to know these things, that we would bring certain facts to
your attention. Our beloved Chief Apostle has said on many occasions that not only do we find Biblical testimony concerning the coming of Christ or the signs
of the times in the world of which Jesus spoke, that conditions will come again as they existed in the time of Noah and Lot, but even the devil must give
testimony that the coming of Christ is near at hand. He will do that by the fight he puts up against the Work of Christ and by awakening doubt in the heart of
one or the other. As we know, a group of men, who once were Apostles, have separated themselves from the Church. Today they
are outcasts; they are men who have willfully severed the bond between themselves and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are the people who
have awakened in themselves what they think is a way and means to upset us, to undermine our faith and cause doubt to enter into our hearts and souls. These
men, who have taken it upon themselves to fight not only the Church, but God, Christ and the Holy Ghost as well, have come forth with the statement that we are
basing our entire hope for the present and for all eternity upon a dream or vision of one man, namely, our Chief Apostle. The devil will try to undermine our
faith, but God will not leave His children in darkness. He knows what is best for us and He will give us what is necessary, not only that our faith will
be strengthened, but that we need have no fear for the future.
"In our text we are told, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" What communion can we have
with these people who have become enemies of their own souls and no longer are followers with Christ? Everything we do from day to day, as well as our
plans for the future, are built around the promise of Christ to come in the lifetime of our Chief Apostle. The enemy says that this is wrong, that we have no
right to believe that a dream or vision can be the basis for our future happiness. Let us see how much truth there is in their statements. We said before that
if we want to ward off sickness, we must build up our bodily health and strength. A healthy family need have no fear even though they come into contact with
the sick because if they have enough resistance, the disease can have no harmful effect upon them. Just think of a doctor who must care for patients who have
all manner of contagious dieseases! A healthy body is able to withstand and fight against these germs and that is the way we New Apostolics should be, strong
enough to cast aside any doubts that might enter into our hearts and souls. That we may have this strength and assurance, we will refer to certain Scriptural
passages! "
(He then goes into quite a bit of detail about the dreams/visions associated with the births of John the Baptist and Jesus.)
"...How did the conception of these two all-important men take place? In each case, the angel appeared in a vision or dream, made an announcement and that
word or promise took on flesh and came into life and being. If the enemies of the church say that we are building upon a dream or vision because we believe
what our Chief Apostle has told us, then let us take the dreams or visions out of the Bible. What have we left? If we say, "Away with dreams and
visions," then away with John the Baptist and with Christ and our end is destruction! Let no one think for one moment that our God will leave us in
darkness, that we should be playthings of these spirits, "Will the Lord really come in the lifetime of our Chief Apostle or are we building on a
dream?" If we are building on a dream then they who hoped for John the Baptist and Jesus to come were also building on a dream, but it came to pass! With
it came the possiblity of the Rebirth through water and Spirit and the assurance of life eternal, which no man had possessed before. When we speak of life
eternal we must remember that all souls live forever, but to live in Christ is to live in joy, happiness and gladness in that realm where we will never again
know pain, sorrow, suffering or death. That is the kind of eternal life we want!..."
from The Teacher's Friend, published by the The New Apostolic Church of North America, 1958
Quote:
A FABLE TEACHES US A
LESSON
It is a known fact that some of our people are mocked and scorned and have to suffer because of their faith. On such occasions, a feeling of retaliation could
easily come over the soul, which is not according to the Spirit of Christ. Our Chief Apostle, who knows his calling and who follows in the footsteps of the
Master, has permitted many things to come over his person. We can rest assured that the enemies of the Church have thrown much "dirt," but our
beloved Chief Apostle goes calmly on his way, content in the knowledge that God is with him.
Let us learn from the following fable so that we may understand it a little better.
A beautiful swan, white as snow, swam on a crystal-clear lake. His long neck was gracefully formed, giving him a majestic appearance.
A flock of envious crows, milling near the shore, were annoyed at the clean and stately appearance of the swan. They discussed among themselves how they could
defame this proud fellow. They decided to gather in their beaks all manner of dirt and to throw it at this bird, so that he would hardly be recognized. They
flew away in order to accomplish their purpose and then circled around this defenseless bird with loud, screeching noises.
The swan looked with great calm at his soiled 'clothing.' He glanced sympathetically at his enemies, and without giving them a second thought,
submerged into the clear water of the lake. When he reappeared on the surface of the water, he was white as snow and he swam majestically on his way. The
crows, very much disappointed, flew away.
The moral: "TRUE BEAUTY OF THE SOUL CANNOT BE SOILED."
The Herald of the New Apostolic Church, Volume XXXV, January 15, 1959, No. 2, excerpt from service conducted by District Apostle Fendt in Bayside:
District Apostle Fendt
"...We have pointed out in the past that there are moments in our lives when we make the statement, "We are willing to give our lives for a cause or
person." Let us assume that during the recent visit of our beloved Chief Apostle we found out that one of his enemies intended to shoot him. He had
decided to test the word of the Chief Apostle who has repeatedly stated that he will not die, but he has received the promise and assurance from God Himself
that he shall live until the day when Christ shall come again. In that moment how many of you would have said, "If anyone attempts to take the Chief
Apostle's life, and I can by giving my own, save his, then I will
give my life gladly?" Would you have
stepped before him to receive the wound that might have proved fatal to him, to prove to the world, to the spirits and to his enemies that if anyone had to die
it would not be the Chief Apostle? A subsitute would have been found in you! How many of you would have been prepared to die for him? Let us bear in mind that
the word of God must be sustained, "The Lord Jesus shall come in the lifetime of our Chief Apostle." Everyone else may die, but he will live! If we
think so much of our Chief Apostle that we would gladly have given our lives, then why not do it in the way we live from day to day, in the things we say, in
the way we serve one another, in honesty, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, consideration and obedience.
If we were willing to die for the Christ Who has revealed Himself in our Chief Apostle rather than have any injury or harm come to him, then in that moment we
might all have been heroes!..."
from The Herald of the New Apostolic Church, Volume XXXV, July 15, 1959, No. 14
DISTRICT SERVICE HELD BY DISTRICT APOSTLE
FENDT, CHICAGO -- OCTOBER 26TH, 1958
District Elder Rettberg:
"...The most precious part of our faith is the message received by our beloved Chief Apostle, that the Lord will come in the lifetime of His most faithful
servant in order to take us unto Himself. This is the most important message given by God since the one of the angels brought, proclaiming the birth of Christ.
Both messages -- the first as well as the last -- had a remendous effect, not only upon the living but also upon the departed. Both these messages have
penetrated into all realms and have made a definite impression upon these souls. According to the attitude of the souls who heard it, so they either rejoiced
greatly, or they became fearful. In like manner, they looked upon the message of God and took their respective stand. We can never thank God enough that we are
not numbered to the doubters, but to those who can believe His timely message with our entire hearts and souls. When our
District Apostle asked the Brothers in the Sacristy before Service whether we are still one heart and one soul concerning the message of our beloved Chief
Apostle, we could all answer: "Yes." And we rejoice with each passing day because the time of the great promise draws ever nearer and each
hour brings us that much closer to the goal."
from The Herald of the New Apostolic Church, Volume XXXV, NO. 20, October 15, 1959, SERVICE HELD BY DISTRICT APOSTLE FENDT, BAYSIDE, NY:
BAPTISM AND SEALING OF JOHN WILLIAM FENDT
...I Baptize you JOHN WILLIAM in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and place upon your forehead and upon your breast the sign of
the cross as our Redeemer, Jesus Christ Who lived and died upon the cross, would have us do. He, the Lord, establish herewith the bond of fellowship with
Himself. Herein are you entitled to the earnings of Christ our Lord and herein are you become a partaker in the blessings of the Church.
There come upon you the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God that proceedeth from God the Father and Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. He it is Who Baptizes you
with fire and the Spirit from on high, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of all knowledge, the Spirit of understanding and love. Herewith are you incorporated
into the Body of the Church of Christ. Herewith are you given a new name that only you in the Resurrection of the Just as one
who has not only believed in His word and doctrine but also in his message, "I will come again in the lifetime of the Chief Apostle." Herewith
shall your name be entered into the Book of Life, the Book of the Lamb, so that He the Lord may know you on earth and in heaven. Herewith are you made to be a
citizen of the new Jerusalem, a new creation for the new kingdom. Having fulfilled the Godly ordinances, being Reborn out of water and Spirit, the glorious
words of Christ apply to us, "You are Mine for time and eternity."
The Lord God bless you and keep you, He maketh His countenance to shine upon you, He abide with you in His given peace, now and forever. Amen.
from The Herald of the New Apostolic Church, Volume XXXV No. 20, October 15, 1959, District Apostle Fendt, Bayside, NY:
...Jesus had said to His Apostles, "As My Father sent Me to minister and to give My life as a ransom for many, so send I you, whose soever sins ye remit,
they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." We have said repeatedly that we did not establish the Church of chirst.
We only belong to it! We did not send Christ. We only believe in Him! We did not say that Christ would come again in the lifetime of our Chief Aposte. The Lord
Himself said it and because I believe in the Lord more than in man, I choose to believe that teh First Resurrection will take place in the lifetime of our
beloved Chief Apostle. I am not going to permit any man, regardless of how high his official position in this world or how many studies he may have made, to
upset this faith. There are scientists who claim the formation of the earth's crust proves that the earth has been in existence for so many hundreds of
thousands of years. These same men also prophesy how much longer the earth will last, but I am not concerned with the earth or its future. I am only concerned
with Christ and that future of which He said, "I go to prepare a place for you that ye may be where I am."
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." In examining ourselves we find that we haven't always held fast to this word and promise -- the
word that took on flesh and dwelt amongst us and the promise of christ to come again in the lifetime of our Chief Apostle. When we speak of being in the faith
and we will notice that Apostle Paul was very specific for he said, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith," then there must be otehrs which
will not lead us to our goal. There must be preachers and teachers who are mileaders, whether they realize it or not. They may even be blind leaders and as
such will lead the blind and all will fall into the ditch.
...When this great event takes place then those who have heard our testimony will have to admit that they were careless in their acceptance of the message.
Their cry will be, "If only we had known that the Lord was to be born in this church, we would have acted differently." They had heard many times
that the Lord was coming in the lifetime of our Chief Apostle but they did not heed this message! In the first case, we said that the only people interested in
the mother-to-be are the relatives. Are we not His Brothers and Sisters? Let us remember that as far as Noah was concerned only his relatives were saved. The
rest of the people died in the sinflood. The same will hold true in our time. Only the relatives will be saved! All the otehrs will perish, "for they who
have not the Spirit of Christ are none of His."
Apparently the publisher shipped issues of the The New Apostolic Review post-dated. In the July 15,
1960 issue (Chief Apostle Bischoff passed away July 6, 1960) it states:
The glad tidings which is proclaimed to us in the living word does not only consist of the forgiveness of our sins by the merit of Christ, it gives us, in addition to this, the assurance that the coming of the Lord is imminent. This completes the circle of our expectancies of faith in the present and the future. Our many and varied experiences in faith have proved that God will keep what He promises. That is why we find no difficulty in believing that the Lord will come during the lifetime of our Chief Apostle, as the Lord has promised His Own in our time. Would, that each child of God strove to be a shining example for others, so that the longing for the glorious goal may yet be awakened in many!
from NEW APOSTOLIC REVIEW
Vol. 2, No. 16 Frankfurt a.M. August 15, 1960
Extract from the Service which was Conducted on Sunday, 10th July 1960, in the Frankfurt a.M.-West Congregation
Chief Apostle Schmidt:
...The departed Chief Apostle has in a wonderful manner led us to the pinnacle of faith; he did so through the message which he had received from the Lord.
This has been our faith until the moment when he, the Chief Apostle, closed his eyes. I am personal witness, because I still saw him on Tuesday. When we
parted, he enjoyed an extremely great freshness, both spiritually and in his soul. I took leave of him with the words: "Dear Chief Apostle, the promise
remains, the Lord will come in your lifetime!" There he once again looked at me -- for the last time -- and said with shining eyes: "Yes, that is
certain!" The Apostles and I are not ashamed to confess even in this memorable hour, that we have believingly spread this promise in all districts. This
also applies to all Brothers and Sisters believed it, irrespective of whether they have a white, brown or black skin. This was the very reason of our
happiness: the message of the Chief Apostle. He had not been mistaken, because he received it from the Lord. How wonderfully has the Chief Apostle been the
manifestor of mysteries which were still sealed. The Chief Apostle told us everything which the Lord awakened in his heart from time to time. He, the greatest
manifestor of our time, proclaimed the will of the Lord to us in a pure and clean manner. Thus even today we can confirm the words which we have spoken before;
it is not necessary to recall a single one of them...
from NEW APOSTOLIC REVIEW
Vol. 2, No. 16 Frankfurt a.M. August 15, 1960
Extract from the Service which was Conducted on Sunday, 10th July 1960, in the Frankfurt a.M.-West Congregation
Chief Apostle Schmidt:
...And if the scoffers and despisers, our opponents and enemies, who look upon the salvation-work of God, come and say: "Now, what's happened to your
promise?" we will be wise enough not to enter into any discussions with them. The Devil can be compared with a match: while it lies in one's hand it
looks quite harmless; yet what a terrible destruction may it cause as soon as it comes in touch with a striking surface! With a single match one can lay a
whole city to ashes, or set a huge forest ablaze. I will not suffer to become a striking surface for the Devil. I shall not heap unproductive work upon my desk
by allowing myself to be used by the scoffers, the opponents and enemies, as a strking surface, so that the Devil may kindle his fire wherever he wishes. In
faithfulness to the words of the Chief Apostle, I will remain silent to a reproacheswhich will now be heard from outside. This terrible weapon, which the Chief
Apostle employed all those years, reduced them all to silence. They used to cry; but then they kept quiet, because the Chief Apostle remained silent.
Therefore, we, the Apostles, will also remain silent in all that which will now come to pass. The Lord has the last word. This is what the chief Apostle did.
He was an example for us in many respects. He was not only equipped with human but also with divine wisdom. He avoided wasting his time through arguing with
his enemies. Neither did he ever wake up sleeping dogs; he let them sleep. And we will do the same. Now it is our task to guard and cultivate the work of the
Chief Apostle, and to continue with the work of perfection in his mind. We shall not look outside, into the world; our eyes are upon the people of God, upon
each soul, upon the faithful ones, that they may be preserved and perfected. This is what we consider our present task. And in this manner we will best be able
to honour the remembrance of our deceased Chief Apostle: by continuing in his mind and not wavering or fainting. We shall not doubt, because the fulfilment of
God's promise is before our eyes.
We are now covering the last stretch of our way. We do not know what is happening in the realm of the departed, where the Chief Apostle now dwells among the
children of God who left this earth. But one thing is sure, namely, that he will admonish them all to plead for the perfection of the work of God...
We thank the Chief Apostle, after his decease, that we can enter into such a perfect work. He leaves an orderly road of life, he was even with each soul. If he
had not proclaimed the message, many children of God might perhaps have given themselves up to materialism, and would thus have been lost for the work of God.
The Chief Apostle has up to the present hour led the people of the Lord with a steady hand. Now it is for us to guard his heritage, and in this hour the
Apostles solemnly vow to live and work entirely in the mind of the Chief Apostle, so as if he were still amongst us, Amen.
from NEW APOSTOLIC REVIEW
Vol. 2, No. 16 Frankfurt a.M. August 15, 1960
Extract from the Service which was Conducted on Sunday, 10th July 1960, in the Frankfurt a.M.-West Congregation
Chief Apostle Schmidt:
...The departed Chief Apostle has in a wonderful manner led us to the pinnacle of faith; he did so through the message which he had received from the Lord.
This has been our faith until the moment when he, the Chief Apostle, closed his eyes. I am personal witness, because I still saw him on Tuesday. When we
parted, he enjoyed an extremely great freshness, both spiritually and in his soul. I took leave of him with the words: "Dear Chief Apostle, the promise
remains, the Lord will come in your lifetime!" There he once again looked at me -- for the last time -- and said with shining eyes: "Yes, that is
certain!" The Apostles and I are not ashamed to confess even in this memorable hour, that we have believingly spread this promise in all districts. This
also applies to all Brothers and Sisters believed it, irrespective of whether they have a white, brown or black skin. This was the very reason of our
happiness: the message of the Chief Apostle. He had not been mistaken, because he received it from the Lord. How wonderfully has the Chief Apostle been the
manifestor of mysteries which were still sealed. The Chief Apostle told us everything which the Lord awakened in his heart from time to time. He, the greatest
manifestor of our time, proclaimed the will of the Lord to us in a pure and clean manner. Thus even today we can confirm the words which we have spoken before;
it is not necessary to recall a single one of them...
from NEW APOSTOLIC REVIEW
Vol. 2, No. 16 Frankfurt a.M. August 15, 1960
Extract from the Service which was Conducted on Sunday, 10th July 1960, in the Frankfurt a.M.-West Congregation
Chief Apostle Schmidt:
...And if the scoffers and despisers, our opponents and enemies, who look upon the salvation-work of God, come and say: "Now, what's happened to your
promise?" we will be wise enough not to enter into any discussions with them. The Devil can be compared with a match: while it lies in one's hand it
looks quite harmless; yet what a terrible destruction may it cause as soon as it comes in touch with a striking surface! With a single match one can lay a
whole city to ashes, or set a huge forest ablaze. I will not suffer to become a striking surface for the Devil. I shall not heap unproductive work upon my desk
by allowing myself to be used by the scoffers, the opponents and enemies, as a strking surface, so that the Devil may kindle his fire wherever he wishes. In
faithfulness to the words of the Chief Apostle, I will remain silent to a reproacheswhich will now be heard from outside. This terrible weapon, which the Chief
Apostle employed all those years, reduced them all to silence. They used to cry; but then they kept quiet, because the Chief Apostle remained silent.
Therefore, we, the Apostles, will also remain silent in all that which will now come to pass. The Lord has the last word. This is what the chief Apostle did.
He was an example for us in many respects. He was not only equipped with human but also with divine wisdom. He avoided wasting his time through arguing with
his enemies. Neither did he ever wake up sleeping dogs; he let them sleep. And we will do the same. Now it is our task to guard and cultivate the work of the
Chief Apostle, and to continue with the work of perfection in his mind. We shall not look outside, into the world; our eyes are upon the people of God, upon
each soul, upon the faithful ones, that they may be preserved and perfected. This is what we consider our present task. And in this manner we will best be able
to honour the remembrance of our deceased Chief Apostle: by continuing in his mind and not wavering or fainting. We shall not doubt, because the fulfilment of
God's promise is before our eyes.
We are now covering the last stretch of our way. We do not know what is happening in the realm of the departed, where the Chief Apostle now dwells among the
children of God who left this earth. But one thing is sure, namely, that he will admonish them all to plead for the perfection of the work of God...
We thank the Chief Apostle, after his decease, that we can enter into such a perfect work. He leaves an orderly road of life, he was even with each soul. If he
had not proclaimed the message, many children of God might perhaps have given themselves up to materialism, and would thus have been lost for the work of God.
The Chief Apostle has up to the present hour led the people of the Lord with a steady hand. Now it is for us to guard his heritage, and in this hour the
Apostles solemnly vow to live and work entirely in the mind of the Chief Apostle, so as if he were still amongst us, Amen.
The Herald
of the
New Apostolic Church
Published Semi-Monthly by the New Apostolic Church of North America
3753 North Troy Street, Chicago, Illinois
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
Volume XXXV Chicago, Ill., September 15, 1959 No. 18
SERVICE HELD BY OUR BELOVED CHIEF APOSTLE
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 1959
Text: Psalm
26:4-8
...In the third
period of two thousand years, it will be only those who will be transfigured on the Day of the Lord without having to taste of death. We are approaching this
day. It will come, although one or another must die before, but the greater part who are numbered with the bride of Christ will still be on earth when the Lord
comes. When He will come no one knows, for He has not revealed to us the day and hour. But this we know, this promise He has given us, that He will come in my
lifetime.
Now I am no
more a youth, as you know, but the promise of the Lord stands, no one can change that; for that is a decision which proceeded from Him, and was not my personal
opinion or wish. I was in exactly the same position as all other children of God, expecting that some day I would die, until the time that the Lord revealed to
me that He had stricken the word "die" from the book of my life. That thereby I became a stone of offence to all Christianity is clear. Recently I
said "Father Krebs had many opponents, the Chief Apostle Niehaus had many more, and I have numberless opponents, for all are against me, with the
exception of those who travel the way of life with me and who have won the battle to believe that the Lord will come in my lifetime.
Therefore let
us not worry about it. If the children of this world and the entire host of Satan are not in a position to believe it then that is not our affair. However, I
wish to add that Satan and his associates knew at the time exactly who Jesus, the Nazarene, was. They addressed Him as the Son of God, and those to whom He was
sent saw in Him nothing else than the carpetner's son.
If we are today
permitted to be numbered to the children of God, then I may also say that there are many from whose book of life the Lord has stricken the word
"die," for on the glorious morning of the first resurrection they shall see that it was the Lord who not only called and chose them, but also takes
them unto Himself, so as to fulfill the word, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am" (John 17:24). Therefore
we have no reason to be sorrowful when darkness overtakes us. If we bear it, the Lord will also elimnate it again. So we can confidently go to meet the future
with the assurance that He who has called us by His name and made us His children has also reserved for us an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and
that fadeth not away (1 Peter 1:4), and we will also receive it if we remain faithful to the Lord.
NEW APOSTOLIC
REVIEW
Vol. 2, No. 15 Frankfurt a.M. August 1, 1960
Frankfurt am Main, 7th July 1960
Dear
Administration Brothers and Members!
We, the
undersigned Apostles, who have today assembled in Frankfurt am Main, have to discharge the extremely painful duty to inform you of the unexpected decease of
our chief Apostle, which is incomprehensible to all of us. He passed away in the evening of 6th July in Karlsruhe, where he had hoped to find complete recover
through medical treatment from his doctor, a Brother in the faith.
We all, with
conviction, believed and hoped that the Lord would, according to the promise given to the Chief Apostle, take His Own unto Himself during his lifetime. This
was also the unswerving faith of the Chief Apostle, of which he testified until his very last hour on this earth. He, as well as we, and all the Administration
Brothers and members faithfully united with him, never doubted in the fact that the Lord would fulfil the promise given to him at the appointed time. We are
thus confronted with the inscrutable counsel of our God and ask ourselves: "Why has He changed His will?" The Chief Apostle, who brought the
salvation-work of the Lord to the peak of perfection, and who thereby, in his unswerving faith, bound the children of God to his word, cannot have been
mistaken, because he always made the word of the Lord the guiding line of his actions. Consequently, he never told us anything other than that which the Spirit
of the Lord had previously awakened in his heart.
His exemplary
life of faith, his modest line of conduct, his flawless character and his complete unselfish devotion enabled him to transfer the most noble virtues of Jesus
Christ to the entrusted souls. The Lord thus deemed him worthy to assume the task of His highest servant. His extremely rich experiences and the great treasure
of his divine knowledge have, thanks to the grace of God, resulted in a fruitful development in the work of salvation. All the Apostles who under his
leadership were called to work as his fellow-labourers, have been inspired by the Spirit of Chirst dwelling in him, and this, in turn, resulted in great
blessings for all who are called by the name of the Lord.
In taking away
the Chief Apostle the Lord has confronted us with an enigma, but we are sure that on His day He will give us His answer.
The Apostles,
however, consider it their high task to guard and cultivate the Chief Apostle's legacy -- his faith in the early coming of the Lord -- in such a manner as
if he were still amongst us, for it is and remains the Lord's work, and He will conclude it. If we were to abandon this thought, we would at the same time
abandon the faith in the day of the First REsurrection But this has been the very kernel of our faith up to this hour.
The undersigned
Apostles are aware of the fact that our opponents and enemies will now think that through the death of teh Chief Apostle they have reasons for their claim,
that the work of salvation is the work of men.
Dear
Administration Brothers and members, may no one lose faith in this hour and give way to the spirit of doubt. Such would apply the word according to Matthew
25:8, "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out," to themselves. The Lord will not forsake us. The numerous references in the Book of
Revelation regarding the perfection of the bridal congregation have yet to be fulfilled. We therefore request you,k in this serious hour, to remain faithfully
united as before, and not to provide the opponents of the work of God with an opportunity whereby they could assail our faith. It will, be a comfort for you to
know that even after the decease of the Chief Apostle all the Apostles are manifested in perfect unity according to the will of Jesus, and that they will, to
this effect, work uninterruptedly upon the perfection of the bridal souls. We therefore exhort you: Honour the remembrance of teh Chief Apostle through
continuing in faithful fellowship. Our love and trust in him have suffered no damage through his decease. The Lord has taken care that all the children of God
are again provided with leadership. Sonme of the last words, which the Chief Apostle spoke to us, were: "The Lord expects to find His sheep with the
shepherds!" Let this be our motto for these final days.
In the morning
of 10th July, the undersigned Apostles will be assembeled in a solemn Service in Frankfurt am Main. In this Service the Apostle Walter Schmidt will assume the
Chief Apostle Ministry and thus the leadership of all New Apostolic Churches.
He was
unanimously chosen for this ministry in the Apostle gathering of 7th July 1960 in Frankfurt am Main.
In revering the
memory of the Chief Apostle we greet you in the Spirit of Love out of Jesus Christ,
Sgd.: Walter Schmidt, Gg. Schall, Karl Weinmann, Herm. Schumacher, E. Startz, F. Hahn, H. Knigge, F. Bischoff, E.
Streckeisen, Chr. Dauber, J.R. Kreunen, F. Lewitus, A. Marton, Gotthilf Volz, J. Bell, W. Wintermantel, W. Jaggi, Georg Thomas, G. Herrmann, Max Gurtner, H.
Hanni, E. Zimmermann, R. Schneider, A.J. Fernandes, Wilhelm Knaupmeier, Emil Schiwy, G. Rockenfelder.
And a bonus, it appears some ministers did not agree with this doctrine.
30 P.A. Conzelmann: Brief an Apostel Fendt vom 26. Mrz 1955, in: Der Herold (RAGB)
1955, Nr.3, S. 20 (A)
(English translation)
The obedience of faith towards the chief apostle and his message (Botschaft) decided eventually whether a soul who was longing for salvation would be sealed,
i.e. accepted into the New Apostolic Church (verbatim: into the communion). Priest Conzelmann from Baltimore criticized this in a letter to his apostle:
"I emphatically reject that the soul's salvation is based on the 'Botschaft of the chief apostle'. (..) It is beyond my understanding that it
has become a dogma in our church that a soul who is worthy on any other respect to be counted to the firstfruits of Christ should be judged to be unworthy of
the Kingdom of God, simply because s/he refuses to accept a dogma which goes
totally against the teaching of the Bible; and that such a soul is refused to receive the sacraments which Christ has established as essential to enter the
Kingdom of God."
P.A. Conzelmann in a letter to ap. Fendt from 1955-Mar-26
