When, we turn to our History of the American Lutheran Church, published in 1852, we find on pages 240, 241, the following statement:—­ “The mass, that is, the name and some of the ceremonies of the Romish mass, were retained in the Augsburg Confession; although the errors in doctrine, by which the Romish mass grew out of the Scripture doctrine of the Lord’s Supper, were rejected in that as well as subsequent symbols.”  “Our churches,” (says the Augsburg Confession, Art.  XXIV.) “are unjustly charged with having rejected the mass, (messe.) For it is publicly known that the mass is celebrated amongst us with greater devotion and earnestness, than amongst our opponents.”  “Nor has there been any perceptible change made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except that at several places German hymns are sung along with the Latin ones.”  “Our custom is on holy days (and at other times also, if there be communicants) to say mass, (not to say a Lord’s Supper,) and those who desire it, receive the Lord’s Supper.”  Subsequently, however, great changes were made in the public ceremonies attendant on the Lord’s Supper, and Luther in his Smalcald Articles rejects the mass entirely, both the name and accompanying ceremonies.  And soon after the whole Lutheran church followed him.  Still, if the Augsburg Confession were strictly binding on us, we should be under the necessity of adopting on sacramental occasions all the public ceremonies then and now usual in the Romish Church in celebrating public mass.”  Here again we see the following points, which were clearly proved above:  1.  That the Augsburg Confession denies having rejected the mass. 2.  That she does reject those doctrinal errors which gave rise to the Romish mass. 3.  That it was their custom on public occasions (when persons were present who desired to commune) to say a mass, and then administer the sacrament to them. 4.  That the Confession explicitly asserts that “no perceptible change” had been made in the public ceremonies of the mass, except the introduction of German hymns along with the Latin ones in several places.  Hence the inference would necessarily follow, that if they had made no perceptible change in the public ceremonies of the mass, we could make none, if the Confession was strictly binding on us:  and as the ceremonies of the Romish mass are the same now as then, the ceremonies which the Confession prescribes are the same as those now observed in the church, and if we obeyed the Confession, we should have to perform the same without any “perceptible” difference, except the addition of German hymns along with the Latin, which were at that time used in the Lutheran Church.  These, Luther for sometime himself defended, as it is certain he did the elevation of the host, (but not for adoration,) till 1542, more than twenty years after he commenced the Reformation.  Those who object to these statements confound the