Gerhard and Walther

Apart from cross, faith usually is simply only an ordinary academic thing that flows from the tongue. But, with a cross, adds to the scenario of faith a true exercise and testing by which faith is stamped and notarized like a seal into the heart. Untested people are inexperienced, plain, useless spectators—what do they know? As a marginal note on Is. 28:19, the Gospel is called the Word of the cross, not only because it proclaimed Christ crucified, but also because His power is rightly felt and understood with tribulations.—Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis, III:189.

If we compare the condition of the poor and the rich according to the Holy Scripture, we find that the poor are preferred.—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, p. 530.