This same dissent from the symbols, was also publicly avowed by Dr. Hazelius, who in his Annotations on the Augsburg Confession, published in 1841, says, “The opinions now entertained in the Lutheran church, as to the nature of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, differ in no material point from those entertained by the other protestant churches on the subject.” p. 21.  This dissent in non-fundamentals from the Augsburg Confession, is also avowed by Dr. Bachman, in his Discourse on the Doctrines and Discipline of the Lutheran Church, published in 1837, and sanctioned by his Synod:  also by Dr. Lintner, in his preface to the Augsburg Confession, in 1837, pp. 3, 4; by Dr. Krauth, in his Sketch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United Slates, for Buck’s Theological Dictionary, in 1830; in which he says the doctrines of the Evangelical Lutheran Church are substantially those of the Augsburg Confession,” [sic on quotation mark!] implying dissent from that creed in some non-essentials; and recently his own dissent in an article in the Lutheran Observer, and the Evangelical Review of July, 1850. Dr. G. B. Miller published his dissent from the Confession on some of its representations of baptism, (baptismal regeneration, as he contends,) and the real presence in the Eucharist, in his Sermon before the Ministerium of New York, in 1831.

The same dissent was freely expressed by Dr. Baugher, in his Report on the “Doctrines and Usages of the Synod of Maryland,” in which he thus describes his position and that of this Synod: 

“ON REGENERATION.—­We believe that the Scriptures teach that regeneration is the act of God, the Holy Ghost, by which, through the truth, the sinner is persuaded to abandon his sins and submit to God, on the terms made known in the gospel.  This change, we are taught, is radical and is essential to present peace and eternal happiness.  Consequently, it is possible, and is the privilege of the regenerated person to know and rejoice in the change produced in him.”

“OF THE SACRAMENTS.—­We believe that the Scriptures teach, that there are but two sacraments, viz.:  Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, in each of which, truths essential to salvation are symbolically represented.  We do not believe that they exert any influence ‘ex opere operato,’ but only through the faith of the believer. Neither do the Scriptures warrant the belief, that Christ is present in the Lord’s Supper in any other than a spiritual manner.”

“OF THE SYMBOLICAL BOOKS.—­Luther’s Larger and Smaller Catechisms, the Formula Concordiae, Augsburg Confession, Apology, and Smalkald Articles are called in Germany the Symbolical Books of the church.  We regard them as good and useful exhibitions of truth, but do not receive them as binding on the conscience, except so far as they agree with the Word of God.”