A Movie "On Two Rivers To Freedom"

Three stories beginning on page one refer to Stella Wuerffel’s historical-romantic novel Two Rivers To Freedom.

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will be commemorating the 200th anniversary of its key founder, first president and chief theologian, C.F.W. Walther, during 2011. “What Would Walther Do?”, may be the theme of this year’s Walther Conference which will hopefully be held at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

The LCMS’s Concordia Publishing House is inviting essays on Walther to be prepared for a church-wide contest. The CN editor may submit one on “What Would Walther Do Today If He Were President of the LCMS.” It will not gain many points from LCMS and CPH bureaucrats. It may be easier, less time consuming and more economical for CPH simply to reprint “C.F.W. Walther: The American Luther Essays in Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Carl Walther’s Death” from the Walther Press. It has excellent essays on Walther by top confessional Lutheran scholars. It is available from CN for $9.99.

CN knows of no better project to bring the scriptural message of Walther and the Saxon fathers to both young and old, pastors and laymen, men and women, boys and girls than making a movie out of Two Rivers To Freedom.

This year the editor and his wife watched, as their regular weekly 45 minute “date”, on DVD the Laura Ingalls Little House On the Prairie series. During CN’s early years we sold hundreds of copies of this series at just a little above cost. The editor and his wife read them to their children on their series of tenting tours through the U.S. and Canada. If the LCMS has 4.3 million dollars to spend on a convention, it should have the resources to produce a top quality two hour movie or entire series on Two Rivers To Freedom. It would be of tremendous interest not only to members of the LCMS, but all patriotic freedom loving Americans, all Bible believing Christians, all who champion the rights of laymen and congregations and oppose the episcopacy championed by Romanizers. Comments Walther made at his famous Fourth of July speech and in his Communism and Socialism could be included. It would show freedom loving Americans that no American church body walked in the steps of America’s great champions of liberty more closely than the founders of the LCMS.

Last year at the 500th birthday of John Calvin many of the Reformed said that John Calvin was “The Greatest of the Protestant Reformers” and that Calvin was “The Virtual Founder of America.” Christian News (July 13, 2009) responded with an editorial titled “Luther Not Calvin, the Champion of Real Freedom.” It said in part: “The CN editor has opposed parts of Calvin’s theology and championed Luther’s theology, particularly his views on freedom, for more than 50 years. Reprinted here is what the editor wrote as a 24 year old student in a master’s thesis on ‘The Political and Economic Thought of Walter A. Maier.’” It is chapter XIII in Walter Maier Still Speaks – Missouri and the World Should Listen, pp. 180-249.

There are numerous events in Two Rivers To Freedom which would fascinate both young and old. Some of the magnificent homes and churches in Dresden when the Saxons left could be shown. Most immigrants came to the U.S. for economic and political reasons. The Saxons more than any others came primarily for religious freedom (Note the photos on pp. 8 and 9). Most were not poor. There could be scenes from Dresden, the Elbe River, Wittenberg, where some of the Saxons got off their river boats for a short period. Storms at sea with three masted sailing ships could be computer generated. The editor has spoken with a “sailor” who regularly participates in sailing journeys as a hobby. One of these ships could be used to film scenes in Two Rivers to Freedom which took place during the long voyage to America. Wuerffel mentions several funerals at sea. Such a funeral could be shown presenting the kind of Christ centered funeral sermon which were preached and hymns that were sung. The Saxon funerals would show Americans how true Lutherans conduct a funeral.

There are several fascinating romances mentioned in Two Rivers To Freedom. A movie on Two Rivers To Freedom could be used to teach youth that all sex outside of marriage is sinful. One of the weddings mentioned in Two Rivers To Freedom could be shown as a pattern for youth to follow today. The scene when two youthful lovers fall into a deep cistern and their comments as they are saved would add great humor. There could be a scene of the slave market the Saxon visited, “purchasing” a slave to get him freedom, and the wedding of former slaves where Two Rivers To Freedom has Walther preaching.

There should be scenes of the Saxon laymen discussing the rights of laymen as they formulate a constitution. C.F.W. Walther’s debate with Marbach where Walther champions congregationalism and showed the Saxons that they were a church even though they had to depose their bishop involved in immorality. Wuerffel clearly recognizes that the Stephanites and pro-Loehe anti-Walther Romanizers in the LCMS are climbing up the wrong tree. Her presentation of the haughty Bishop Stephan shows what he was like. She asked for the evidence a Stephan descendant and defender said he had to show that Stephan was innocent. He never came up with the evidence. Stephan preached some great sermons. But his womanizing and hierarchical Episcopal views should be totally rejected as Wuerffel shows the Saxon fathers doing. Note the article in this issue on the efforts now being made in the LCMS by Romanizers and others to rehabilitate Stephan and degrade Walther and his championing congregationalism.

The Little House on the Prairie series has fascinated America. Unfortunately, the Pastor Alden in the series preaches little Law and Gospel. At times universalism, which has taken over all major denominations today, is promoted. Divine Services shown in a movie based on Two Rivers to Freedom could present Law and Gospel and show that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. What Wuerffel writes about children learning and singing solid Lutheran hymns could be presented to teach children today what can be done instead of all these rather meaningless kiddy songs.

One verse of America the Beautiful says: “O Beautiful for Pilgrim’s Feet, Whose Stern Impassioned Stress, A thoroughfare for Freedom Beat, across the Wilderness, America, America, God Meant Thine Every Flaw, Confirm the Soul in Self-control, the Liberty in Law.” The pilgrims may not have gotten much beyond the East Coast. A movie on Two Rivers To Freedom could show what this great patriotic song says about the pilgrims is true about the Saxons. They championed real freedom and liberty under law. August Suelflow concludes his preface: “The two rivers brought freedom, but the water of life gave them life everlasting.” What a great theme to weave into a movie or even an entire series available on DVD. Is there a producer in the LCMS like Michael Landon, the producer of Little House on the Prairie?

Read Stella Wuerffel’s Two Rivers To Freedom and join CN’s campaign to get the LCMS to make a movie or an entire series on the book during the Walther year. ($28.95 while supply lasts).